Republicans pick Trump ally as nominee for House speaker

Rep Jim Jordan, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, is a staunch ally of former president Donald Trump (J Scott Applewhite/AP/PA)

Republicans chose Rep Jim Jordan as their new nominee for House speaker on Friday during internal voting, putting the gavel within reach of the staunch ally of the party’s presidential front-runner Donald Trump.

Mr Jordan, of Ohio, will now try to unite colleagues from the deeply divided House Republican majority around his bid ahead of a floor vote, which could come next week.