Jim Jordan to Lead House Republicans

U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan of Urbana will lead House Republicans in the next Congress after winning a closed-door vote Tuesday.

Jordan beat outgoing Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana 106-73 in a secret ballot after Speaker Mike Johnson chose not to seek the post. Democrats will control the House in January following last week’s midterms.

Jordan pitched himself as battle-tested on oversight, telling colleagues that “offense, not defense, wins elections.” Scalise argued his years in leadership made him best suited to unify the conference.

Jordan, 62, has represented western Ohio’s 4th District since 2007 and chairs the House Judiciary Committee. He won re-election last week with 64.5% of the preliminary vote, the largest share of any Ohio Republican in Congress.

It’s the third time the two have faced off for a leadership post, including the 2023 speaker race that neither won.

DeWine Moves to Commute Death Sentences

Gov. Mike DeWine is moving to commute multiple death sentences in the final weeks of his administration.

The Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association said prosecutors statewide have been notified that cases from their counties are under review. It’s unclear how many of Ohio’s 106 death row inmates could be affected.

“It is just wrong for him to do this on his way out the door with zero accountability to the communities and families that it affects,” said Warren County Prosecutor David Fornshell, the association’s president.

DeWine spokesman Dan Tierney said the governor is following state law case by case and can’t act without a parole board recommendation. He noted end-of-term commutations are common.

DeWine hasn’t allowed an execution since taking office in 2019 and asked lawmakers to abolish the death penalty in June. Ohio’s notice law was passed in the 1990s after outgoing Gov. Dick Celeste commuted eight death sentences.

Wright-Patt Simulates Moon Landings for NASA

An Air Force Research Laboratory engineer rode a 50-foot drop tower at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base last week to simulate a moon landing for NASA.

Ronald Richardson, wearing an orange NASA crew survival suit, plunged down the tower and absorbed four g-forces on Nov. 6. The test measured what landing in a standing position does to an astronaut’s body.

“It does not hurt,” Richardson said afterward, adding that the whole drop is over in about two seconds.

NASA has sent astronauts to Wright-Patt for training since the late 1950s. The base’s 711th Human Performance Wing also runs a centrifuge and a six-axis disorientation machine nicknamed the “Kraken.”

The work supports NASA’s Artemis program, and Wright-Patt researchers will stay involved beyond Artemis II. Artemis IV, the planned crewed landing, isn’t scheduled before early 2028.

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Cincinnati: Police arrested 10 people and are seeking one more in a scheme that took more than $38,000 from six residents of The Kenwood by Senior Star, ages 85 to 99. The case began with one resident’s report of checks stolen from his apartment. (See Details)

➤ Pickerington: Residents spoke for 2½ hours at the Pickerington Local Schools board’s first meeting since voters rejected a school income tax levy by fewer than 300 votes. It’s the district’s second levy defeat this year. (More)

➤ Medina: A buyer has secured the East Washington Street home of abolitionist H.G. Blake, a documented Underground Railroad stop built in 1848, to preserve it. Blake and his wife, Elizabeth, hid freedom seekers there in the 1850s before he went on to serve in Congress. (Read Story)

➤ Youngstown: Businessman Ed Muransky and his wife, Chris, gave $1 million to Akron Children’s Hospital to expand children’s mental health care at 10 Mahoning Valley locations over five years. The hospital logged more than 15,000 behavioral health outpatient visits last year. (More)

➤ Seneca County: The county health district says WIN Waste Innovations is refusing to let its crews take soil samples at a landfill expansion site and has threatened to sue. Officials want to test for benzene, cyanide, and heavy metals from hazardous waste dumped there in the 1980s. (See Details)

➤ Dayton: The Miami Valley Community Action Partnership is taking applications for its Winter Crisis Program, which helps households facing utility shutoffs or running low on propane, heating oil, or pellets. Its CEO said the program is seeing new clients who’ve never needed help before. (More)

Enjoy reading The Ohio Flyover? Click here to share with your friends and family.

➤ Sal Stewart, the Reds’ first baseman, won NL Rookie of the Year after hitting .263 with 32 home runs and 112 RBIs while playing all 162 games. The 22-year-old became the first Reds rookie with a 30-homer, 100-RBI season. (More)

➤ Miami University erased a 17-0 deficit with 34 unanswered points to win the Battle of the Bricks 34-17. The RedHawks’ defense forced five punts and two turnovers in the second half. (More)

➤ The RedHawks drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for displaying multiple sets of uprights on their video board during an Ohio field goal attempt. The Bobcats missed the kick, then failed on a fake after the penalty gave them another chance. (Watch Video)

➤ Ohio State dropped to No. 20 in the College Football Playoff rankings, the lowest the Buckeyes have ever been ranked by the committee. (See Rankings)

➤ Parker Messick, the Guardians left-hander, finished second in AL Rookie of the Year voting to Detroit’s Kevin McGonigle after going 12-9 with a 2.56 ERA and 193 strikeouts. Messick, who drew two of 30 first-place votes, is also an AL Cy Young finalist. (More)

➤ Bob Boone, the former Reds manager and four-time All-Star catcher, died Monday at 78. Boone won seven Gold Gloves over 19 seasons as a player and managed Cincinnati from 2001 to 2003. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NCAAF | NBA | NCAAM | NCAAW | NHL

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Have you checked which military discounts you could be missing? Veterans Savings rounds up offers for veterans, active-duty service members, and eligible family members, including shopping, travel, and household expenses. Explore the list, check each provider’s current terms, and see what fits your needs. Discover potential savings today.

➤ Goodyear CEO Mark Stewart stepped down Monday, effective immediately, less than three years after taking over the Akron tiremaker. Board member Roger Wood, a former Tenneco co-CEO, will serve as interim chief. (See Details)

➤ A permit application to demolish the 143-year-old Gilman Building, next to Sherwin Williams’s new Cleveland headquarters, is tied to the paint company’s plans for a second headquarters tower and mixed-use development in the Warehouse District. (More)

➤ CEVA Supply Chain, a Texas-based logistics company, plans to lay off 120 workers at its Lockbourne facility south of Columbus, according to a WARN notice. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ The Brisket You Can Store for 30 Years (Most Preppers Don’t Know It Exists) Most people assume real smoked brisket needs a grill, a smoker, or a fridge. It doesn’t. Fully cooked, sliced smoked brisket can keep 97% of its nutrients and 99% of its taste for 30+ years. So why is it still stocked mostly by the ultra-wealthy, in their bunkers? Few people know it exists, and fewer still know you can eat it right out of the bag. See what it is (and how it’s prepared)

Flying together with our sponsor

Why pay thousands for hearing aids?

Oricle Hearing Aids deliver crystal-clear sound, all-day comfort, and rechargeable convenience for under $100. No prescriptions, no appointments—just powerful, affordable hearing support you can trust. Join over 150,000 satisfied customers who’ve made the switch.

Hear better, live better—order Oricle today and save!

LEARN MORE

➤ The Ohio Department of Natural Resources opened the new Trail of Heroes at Cowan Lake State Park in Clinton County on Saturday honoring veterans, first responders, community leaders, and everyday Ohioans. (See Details)

➤ Gideon and Josiah Trank sold cookies and apple cinnamon drinks from a “Heroes Lemonade” stand in Brooklyn on Sunday for two North Royalton firefighter-paramedics: Ryan Milligan, 36, killed at a Broadview Heights house fire, and Andrew Protsman, 38, who was seriously injured. Proceeds go to both families. (Read Story)

➤ Ohio State students can now major in American Sign Language, the first such program in the Big Ten. The major builds on an ASL minor offered since 2020 and includes service-learning in central Ohio, home to the state’s largest deaf population. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ 7 Warning Signs Your Muscles Are Aging Too Fast. Weak legs, flabby arms, and fatigue might seem like normal aging. After 50, changes in muscle strength and energy can make everyday activities harder. A Texas physical therapist shares seven overlooked signs, including one you may notice getting out of a chair, and a potential contributing factor. Learn more.

The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. 

➤ There are five car-care habits that are important, and five that just bleed your time and bank account. (Hear List)

➤ A free and easy way to cut dementia risk by 17% only takes 42 minutes a day.  (Listen Now)

➤ The U.S. is set to become the first country ever to refuse a U.N. human rights review, a process all 193 member states face. (Hear Why)

Did someone in your family serve in the military?

1. I did
2. Spouse or child did
3. A parent
4. Part of my extended family
5. Multiple members of my family did
6. None that I know of

Yesterday’s Results:

Have you ever owned a Honda?

1. Yes, in the past: 31%
2. No, never: 29%
3. Yes, I drive one now: 25%
4. No, I’d consider one: 15%

Which Ohio-born president placed the Medal of Honor on the Unknown Soldier’s casket at Arlington National Cemetery on Armistice Day in 1921?

Show me the answer

If you’re a fan of our Trivia section, you’ll love our new book, The Flyover Book of Trivia 2027, an illustrated collection of 100 of our favorite questions and answers. (Buy It Now)