House Speaker Mike Johnson to step aside after GOP midterm loss
The Louisiana congressman will not bid for the minority leadership post and will serve as a rank-and-file member when the new Congress convenes in January.
By Riya Zhao ·
House Speaker Mike Johnson will not seek the Republican leadership position in the next Congress, according to two people familiar with the decision. The Louisiana representative is stepping down from the top post after the Republican Party lost control of the House in the midterm elections. He intends to remain a member of the chamber from his Shreveport-area district for an eighth term.
Johnson’s departure follows a swift rise to power in 2023. He assumed the speakership after House Republicans removed Kevin McCarthy of California from the role. That removal marked the first time in House history that a sitting speaker was ousted. Johnson had previously served in a lower leadership capacity. He gained prominence in the party by organizing support for President Donald Trump’s claims regarding the 2020 election results before the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
During his tenure, Johnson maintained a close relationship with the president. He described their nearly daily phone calls and often shared the president’s impressions with colleagues. The speaker guided the Republican signature tax and spending package through the House, which Trump signed into law. Johnson also shielded the administration from difficult votes, including a recent effort to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, by sending lawmakers home to avoid a formal tally.
The new Republican leadership contest is expected to be contentious. Members-elect will gather in Washington next week to elect a new party leader. The race is likely to feature a rematch between Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio. Scalise, the current majority leader, has cultivated support from business and energy sector lawmakers. Jordan, a former wrestler who led the Judiciary Committee, holds the backing of the party’s hard-right faction, including members of the Freedom Caucus.
Both Scalise and Jordan sought the speakership in 2023 when McCarthy lost his position. They failed to secure a majority of votes in that contest, which allowed Johnson to emerge as the consensus choice. The current internal battle reflects the ongoing tension between the conservative and far-right wings of the House Republican caucus.
Control of the House will pass to the Democrats, who are set to take a majority in the new Congress. The Democratic caucus is preparing to nominate House Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York for the speakership. The election of the new House speaker is scheduled for January 3, 2027, among the first votes of the new legislative session.
Johnson’s decision ends his period at the helm of the chamber. He will join the general membership of the House when the new Congress convenes. The transition marks the end of a leadership era defined by a slim majority and a close alliance with the White House.
