Jim Jordan: The conservative Republican who wants to be Speaker

Republicans in the House of Representatives are trying to select a new Speaker amid in-fighting that has kept one of the most important government posts empty for nearly two weeks.

After Louisiana Representative Steve Scalise dropped out of the Speaker race - for not mustering enough votes - the party turned to firebrand Jim Jordan of Ohio, officially nominating him on Friday.

A fierce ally of former President Donald Trump, he may not be able to secure enough votes from moderate Republicans, who fear he is too extreme, to take the gavel when the full House meets on Tuesday.

Once a college wrestling coach, Mr Jordan is now serving his ninth term in Congress representing Ohio's 4th district, which encompasses the area north of Columbus.

The 59-year-old chairs the influential House Judiciary Committee, where he heads a subcommittee on the "weaponization of the federal government", and is a key member of the House Oversight Committee.

He is also one of three Republicans leading the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, and he co-founded the House Freedom Caucus in 2015 - the furthest right bloc within the Republican party.

As an avid defender of the 45th president, Mr Jordan has risen to prominence over the years with the help of Mr Trump's base.

Last week on Truth Social, Mr Trump pushed for Mr Jordan in the Speaker's race, saying he "is STRONG on Crime, Borders, our Military/Vets, & 2nd Amendment".

"He will be a GREAT Speaker of the House, & has my Complete & Total Endorsement!" Mr Trump wrote.

Mr Jordan is in line with more mainstream members of his party on many policies, opposing abortion and gun restrictions and supporting more stringent immigration policies. But he stands with the right wing in opposing more aid to Ukraine, saying he would stop further spending if made Speaker.

Mr Jordan has received most attention - and scrutiny - for his actions involving the Capitol riot on 6 January 2021 and his ties to Mr Trump.

He was one of the Republican lawmakers who voted against certifying that Mr Biden was the legitimate winner of the 2020 presidential election. In the days after the ensuing riot, Mr Trump awarded Mr Jordan the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honour.

Last year, Mr Jordan refused to answer questions from the House select committee investigating that day's violence about his communications before the riot with Mr Trump and others, like Mark Meadows, Mr Trump's former chief of staff.

At the same time, the bipartisan committee revealed Mr Jordan had asked White House staff whether Mr Trump would grant pardons to lawmakers who had voted to overturn the election.

Mr Jordan became a nationally known figure a year earlier as one of eight House lawmakers defending Mr Trump during his first impeachment trial.

Prior to his legislative days, while a sports coach at Ohio State University (OSU), multiple student athletes said Mr Jordan knew about sexual abuse by an OSU doctor but did not do anything about it.

Dr Richard Strauss, who died in 2005, allegedly sexually abused at least 177 male athletes over the course of nearly two decades.

Mr Jordan has denied that he knew about the abuse.