Mike Johnson to Cede House Leadership After GOP Midterm Loss
The Louisiana congressman will not seek the top post again, clearing the way for Democrats to install Hakeem Jeffries as the first Black speaker.
By Sarah Montgomery ·
House Speaker Mike Johnson will not run for the top Republican leadership slot in the 119th Congress following a heavy loss for his party in the midterm elections. A source familiar with the plan, who was not authorized to speak publicly, confirmed that the Louisiana representative intends to step down. Johnson has served two terms as speaker, taking office in 2023 after the ouster of his predecessor, California representative Kevin McCarthy.
The decision leaves the GOP without a designated candidate for the speakership as they move into the minority. Republicans are scheduled to hold their internal leadership elections on November 10. This vote will determine who will preside over the chamber and manage the legislative agenda for the next two years. The transition marks a sharp reversal from the previous cycle, where Johnson worked to maintain a fragile majority.
Johnson acknowledged the difficulty of the electoral outcome in remarks made on Tuesday night. He noted that the president's party has historically lost seats in midterm contests. According to Johnson, the president has picked up or held seats in the first two-year cycle only twice in 90 years. He stated that history appeared to be repeating itself on election night.
The shift in power alters the dynamics of legislative control in the House. During Johnson’s tenure, the Republican majority was so narrow that a single defection could derail party priorities. That pressure required constant negotiation to keep the conference united with the Trump administration. The new leadership structure will operate under different constraints.
The presumptive next speaker is New York representative Hakeem Jeffries. His election would make him the first Black lawmaker to hold the position. Unlike Johnson, Jeffries will likely command a more comfortable margin of control. This stability may allow him to advance his legislative goals even if some members of his caucus vote against the majority.
Jeffries’s path to the gavel is not without internal challenges. A small group of newly elected lawmakers received support from the Democratic Socialists of America. These members are expected to push the party further to the left. However, the broader Democratic margin provides a buffer that Johnson’s previous leadership did not possess.
