House Speaker Mike Johnson will not seek to lead House Republicans in the next Congress. He told his staff on a Wednesday morning call on November 4 that he is stepping aside as the top House Republican after Democrats won control of the House in the November 3 midterm elections. The decision opens a race for the party leadership, with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan expected to run. Johnson is not leaving Congress. He won re-election in Louisiana and will stay on as a rank-and-file member while his party picks a new leader.
Quick Facts
| Who | House Speaker Mike Johnson, Republican from Louisiana |
| Decision | He will not seek to lead House Republicans in the next Congress |
| When announced | Wednesday morning, November 4, 2026, on a call with his staff |
| Why | Democrats won control of the House in the November 3 midterm elections |
| Staying in Congress | Yes, he won re-election to the Louisiana 4th District seat for an eighth term with about 58 percent of the vote in a five-candidate field |
| Leadership candidates | House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana plans to run, and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio is also expected to run |
| Leadership vote | House Republicans are expected to elect their new leader on November 10, with a November 6 deadline for candidates to declare |
| Speaker election | The full House will elect its speaker on January 3, 2027, as one of the first votes of the new Congress |
| Democratic nominee | Democrats are preparing to nominate House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York for speaker |
| Time as speaker | Johnson became speaker in October 2023 and served about three years in the job |
What Johnson Told His Staff on Wednesday Morning
The news came first on a staff call. On Wednesday morning, November 4, Johnson told the people who work for him that he would not seek to lead House Republicans in the next Congress. It was a short and direct message, and it came less than a day after the midterm results made clear that Democrats had won the House. Johnson had spent the night before at an election night party in his hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana, where he conceded that the House was lost. By the next morning, the question of his own future as leader was settled.
Johnson also posted a statement overnight. In it, he accepted the result and looked ahead to the next fight. He wrote: “While the outcome of this midterm is not what we’d hoped and fought for, a new battle is just beginning,” and he said Republicans would fight to take back the House in 2028. The tone was defiant rather than bitter. He did not blame his colleagues, and he did not blame the voters. He framed the loss as a setback in a longer struggle.
That framing matters because Johnson is not walking away from politics, only from the leadership job. By telling his staff first, he controlled the timing and the message, and he set the clock running for the November 10 leadership vote.
Why Mike Johnson Steps Down House GOP Leader Now
The reason Mike Johnson steps down House GOP leader is simple, and it is the same reason that has shaped leadership changes after midterm losses for many years. When a party loses control of the House, the leader of that party usually takes responsibility, and the party usually wants a new voice for the minority. Johnson led the House through a difficult period, and he led the party into a midterm election that ended in defeat. The voters made their choice on November 3, and Johnson accepted it on November 4.
There is also a practical side to the decision. Leading a party in the minority is a very different job from leading it in the majority. A speaker sets the schedule, controls the floor, and drives the agenda. A minority leader has to oppose, to organize, to raise money, and to hold a divided conference together without the power of the gavel. His decision suggests he sees a better path if someone else takes on the rebuilding job.
Johnson spent recent months traveling the country campaigning for GOP candidates, but that work did not protect the majority. Stepping aside now gives the party a clean break and gives the next leader time to prepare.
The Race to Succeed Him: Scalise Versus Jordan
The contest to succeed Johnson as the top House Republican is already taking shape, and it looks like a race between two well known figures. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana plans to run, and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio is also expected to run. Both men are familiar to Republican voters and to their colleagues in the House, but they come from different wings of the party and they would lead in different styles.
Scalise has served as the number two House Republican, working closely with Johnson and with the leadership team. He knows the mechanics of the House, he knows how to count votes, and he knows how to keep a large group of members moving in the same direction. His experience in leadership gives him a claim that he can step into the top job without a long learning curve. For members who want stability after a loss, Scalise offers a steady hand and a familiar face.
Jordan has a different profile. As chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, he has been one of the most visible Republicans in Congress, leading high profile hearings and investigations. He is popular with the conservative base, and he has built a reputation as a fighter who is willing to take on Democrats directly. For members who want a sharper and more aggressive approach in the minority, Jordan offers a clear contrast. His expected run means the race will not be a quiet coronation. It will be a real choice between two different paths for the party.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota told colleagues he would run for whip in the minority, choosing to stay in leadership even as the top job changes hands. For context on the other party, see our report on Hakeem Jeffries and the Democrats’ plans for the new House.
What Happens Next: November 10 Vote and January 3 Speaker Election
The calendar for the next few weeks is already set, and it moves fast. The first big date is November 6, the deadline for candidates to declare for the Republican leadership posts. By that date, Scalise, Jordan, and any other candidates will need to have made their intentions clear. After that, members will have a few days to talk, to compare candidates, and to make up their minds. The leadership elections are planned for November 10, when House Republicans gather in Washington. That vote will choose the person who will lead the party in the minority in the next Congress.
The November 10 vote is an internal party election. It is not the vote for speaker. The speaker is elected by the full House, and that vote will come later. The full House will elect its speaker as one of the first votes of the new Congress on January 3, 2027. By that time, the Republican leader will be known, and the Democratic nominee will also be known. Democrats are preparing to nominate House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York for speaker. Because Democrats won the House, Jeffries is expected to have the votes to win the speakership on January 3.
That sequence creates a clear picture for the next Congress: Jeffries would become speaker, and the new Republican leader would become the minority leader. See also our coverage of the White House ballroom ceremony on midterm day and Ron DeSantis calling the midterms an extinction level event for Republicans.
Johnson’s Three Years as Speaker and What Comes Next
Johnson became speaker in October 2023 after the ouster of Kevin McCarthy, following three weeks with the House leaderless. It was a chaotic period, and Johnson emerged as a compromise figure who could win enough support to end the deadlock. He took the gavel at a time when the House was divided, the party was split, and the institution itself needed a leader who could restore order. He served about three years as speaker, a period that included major debates over spending, foreign policy, and the direction of the Republican Party.
Those three years were not easy. Johnson had to manage a narrow majority, deal with disagreements inside his own conference, and work with a Senate and a White House that did not always share his goals. Through it all, he kept the House functioning and he kept his party together, even when the margins were tight and the pressure was high. His supporters point to that record as proof that he was a steady leader in a difficult job. His critics point to the midterm loss as proof that the party needs a new direction.
What comes next for Johnson is a return to the back benches. He won re-election to his Louisiana 4th District seat for an eighth term with about 58 percent of the vote in a five-candidate field. He will stay on as a rank-and-file member, still voting, serving on committees, and representing his district, though he will no longer set the agenda.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Mike Johnson stepping down as House GOP leader?
He is stepping down because Democrats won control of the House in the November 3 midterm elections. He told his staff on November 4 that he will not seek to lead House Republicans in the next Congress, and he said the party would fight to take back the House in 2028.
Is Mike Johnson leaving Congress?
No. He won re-election to his Louisiana 4th District seat for an eighth term with about 58 percent of the vote in a five-candidate field, and he will stay on as a rank-and-file member of the House.
Who is running to replace Johnson as House Republican leader?
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana plans to run, and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio is also expected to run. House Republicans are expected to elect their new leader on November 10, with a November 6 deadline for candidates to declare.
Who will be the next speaker of the House?
Democrats are preparing to nominate House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York for speaker. The full House will elect its speaker as one of the first votes of the new Congress on January 3, 2027, and Jeffries is expected to win because Democrats hold the majority.
Sources
Key facts in this article were verified against reporting from Now Georgia, American Almanac, and J News Network.
Final Thoughts
The news that Mike Johnson steps down House GOP leader marks the end of a three year run as speaker and the start of a new chapter for House Republicans. Johnson chose to step aside quickly, he chose to stay in Congress, and he left his party with a clear choice between Scalise and Jordan. The November 10 vote will settle that choice, and the January 3 speaker vote will settle the leadership of the new House.
