Mike Johnson will step down as House Republican leader after midterm losses

House Speaker Mike Johnson told staff on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, that he will not run for minority leader in the next session of Congress. The New York Post, Fox News, Politico, and NBC News all reported that the Louisiana Republican will step aside from leadership. The decision follows election losses that handed control of the lower chamber to Democrats. [1][4][5][6][8]

The New York Post and Fox News both reported that Johnson revealed his decision during a call with staff. Fox News added that Representative Jim Jordan is mounting a bid to become the next House minority leader. On Tuesday night, Johnson told supporters that Republicans appeared poised to lose the majority, noting that the party faced real odds and had to defy over a century of midterm history. [1][2][6][9]

Republicans lost several key House contests, including multiple Florida seats that were previously redistricted to favor the party, according to washingtonexaminer.com. However, Fox News reported that Johnson won re-election to a fifth term in his own congressional district. Nacionale reported that Johnson will remain Speaker of the House until January 2027, with the Republican party set to pick its new leader on November 10. [2][7][10]

James Michael Johnson is the 56th speaker of the United States House of Representatives and represents Louisiana's 4th congressional district. He became Speaker in October 2023 after Republican infighting led to the removal of Kevin McCarthy. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Representative Jim Jordan had previously emerged as a potential contender to lead House Republicans in the minority if the party lost control of the chamber. [1][11][14]