Speaker Johnson to step down as House Republicans choose new leadership
Seven Lights
Mike Johnson will not seek the post of House minority leader after leading Republicans through their defeat in the midterm elections, ending three years as speaker. Mr Johnson told staff on a Wednesday morning call that he would not run, according to a person familiar with his plans.
House Republicans are scheduled to elect new leadership on November 10. Candidates face a Friday deadline to declare their intentions, and the race will be decided by a secret ballot of the conference, requiring a majority of members to win. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan have been floated as potential successors. President Trump could play a pivotal role in the choice, and Republicans are watching to see whether he backs a candidate.
The announcement follows the scale of the Democratic victory. As of Wednesday morning, Democrats had secured at least 244 House seats, nearly 30 more than needed for a majority, while Republicans held 150. Democrats elected a United States senator in Texas for the first time since 1988, a governor in Texas for the first time since 1990, and a senator in South Carolina for the first time since 1998.
Mr Johnson ascended to the speakership in October 2023 as a little-known lawmaker from Louisiana, after weeks of Republican turmoil following Kevin McCarthy’s ousting. He spent much of his tenure managing razor-thin majorities and repeated conservative rebellions that stalled legislative business, while also emerging as a prolific fundraiser for the conference. He had spent months travelling and raising money in a last-ditch effort to preserve the Republican majority.
His political future remains uncertain, with questions over whether he will remain in Congress or leave the House altogether. Mr Johnson had sought to lead the party through its first full midterm campaign as speaker, staking his position on defending a slender majority he took for granted until the returns began.
The minority-leader race opens a contested succession for a party reeling from losses across the country. Republicans must choose their leader before Democrats take command of the House when the new Congress convenes in January.