Jim Jordan running to replace Ryan as House Speaker

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, will announce Thursday that he is will run to replace Paul Ryan as House Speaker.

Jordan confirmed to reporters he is running for Speaker and that he will be circulating a note to his colleagues announcing his run.

“Yes,” Jordan said when asked to confirm reports that he is running for the post. “We are sending a letter to all of our colleagues.”

“Should the American people entrust us with the majority again in the 116th Congress, I plan to run for Speaker of the House to bring real change to the House of Representatives," he said in a formal statement. "President Trump has taken bold action on behalf of the American people. Congress has not held up its end of the deal, but we can change that. It’s time to do what we said."

Jordan said in his letter to Republicans that he's running to push Congress harder to deliver more conservative reforms. He said he would ensure the House doesn't cave in to Democratic demands for more spending, and implicitly criticized a deal that Ryan helped secure for more spending.