Politico's Mia McCarthy reports that with co-founder Jim Jordan elected the next top House Republican leader on November 10, 2026, the House Freedom Caucus faces a new reality: it helped elevate one of its own even as it lost veteran members, saw its political arm stumble in the midterms, and now faces a GOP minority projected to be the smallest in over 30 years. Members like Andrew Clyde and Eric Burlison are vying for caucus chair and dispute that the group's influence will fade, with some predicting it could serve as an internal "heat shield" for Jordan.