Mike Johnson is giving up the top Republican job in the House after his party lost its majority in Tuesday’s midterms. He told staff on a Wednesday morning call that he will not run for minority leader in the new Congress, CBS News and USA Today reported, and his spokesman confirmed it to AFP with one word: “Accurate.” In short, what happened to Mike Johnson is a step down that takes effect Jan. 3. He stays speaker until then and goes back to being Louisiana’s re-elected congressman.
What changes now, and what doesn’t
Johnson is not resigning as speaker. AFP reported that his decision “does not mean he is immediately resigning as speaker or leaving Congress.” He keeps the gavel through the lame-duck session, which begins when lawmakers return to Washington next week.
The handoff happens when the next Congress is sworn in on Jan. 3. Reuters reported that Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of Brooklyn is expected to become speaker that day, which would make him the first Black speaker in the chamber’s 237-year history. Republicans will need a minority leader to face him, and that is the post Johnson is passing on.
Some former speakers resigned their seats after stepping down. Johnson isn’t expected to, a person familiar with his thinking told USA Today.
Scalise vs. Jordan: what each is pitching
Both men ran for speaker in 2023 after hardliners ousted Kevin McCarthy, and both fell short before Johnson emerged as a compromise pick. Their letters this week, as quoted by CBS News and Reuters, make different cases. We lined them up side by side.
| Steve Scalise (La.) | Jim Jordan (Ohio) | |
|---|---|---|
| Current role | House majority leader | House Judiciary Committee chairman |
| Letter length | Five pages | Two pages |
| Main pitch | “Tested leadership is needed now more than ever” | “Battle-tested on the oversight front” |
| Stated goal | To “win back the majority,” and he told colleagues to “hold me accountable to that mission” | To restore the majority, “we must restore voters’ faith in our ability to deliver on these principles”: law and order, low taxes and traditional values |
| Proposal | Task forces to hear from people in “Real America” and shape bills on issues like Social Security and Medicare | Lead the response to Democrats’ investigations: “I know the Democrats’ playbook” |
Jordan’s letter also called it “a staggering day for our Conference” and said the party had “operated without a clear plan to survive the hour or the day in front of us.” One person familiar with the situation told USA Today that Johnson did not want to get in the way of Scalise’s ambitions.
What he said before the election
Johnson’s exit is a reversal. In a June 29 interview with USA Today, he said, “I intend to win the election and maintain the speakership,” and that he would keep “steady hands at the wheel.” He told CBS News in October that he planned to remain the party’s leader even if Republicans lost the House.
He had also floated another path. “If God moves on our hearts and says we should go back to my hometown of Shreveport and start a lawn business, I’ll do that with equal fervor,” he told Fox News on Oct. 8, according to CBS News. He later called that comment “tongue in cheek,” USA Today reported.
On election night he spoke from Shreveport. “It’s been the honor of my life to serve as the 56th speaker of the House, not a position we ever aspired to or expected to have,” he said, per CBS News.
How Trump responded
President Donald Trump said he did not ask Johnson to step down. “We’ll stay out of it,” he told reporters about the leadership race. “The speaker was fantastic, the people under him were fantastic, all good people,” according to USA Today and Reuters.
The Senate picture is different. Majority Leader John Thune is expected to stay on as Republican leader in the minority, Reuters reported.
Johnson’s three years with the gavel
Johnson, 54, became speaker in October 2023 after weeks of infighting that followed McCarthy’s removal. He was the party’s fourth nominee, after Reps. Tom Emmer, Scalise and Jordan failed to unite the conference, CBS News noted. Republicans re-elected him speaker in 2025. Reuters reported that he spent much of his tenure managing a 218 to 214 majority and spent the campaign predicting Republicans would grow it.
His last weeks in charge come with one open fight. In September he canceled the remainder of the pre-election session and called Rep. Thomas Massie’s push to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth a “stunt,” WHAS11 reported. Massie now plans to force a vote next week. Under House rules for privileged resolutions, the speaker has up to two legislative days to schedule it once it qualifies, Roll Call reported.
FAQ
Is Mike Johnson still speaker of the House?
Yes. He remains speaker until the new Congress is sworn in on Jan. 3. He has only said he won’t run for minority leader.
Who will replace Johnson as House Republican leader?
Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan are running. House Republicans plan to hold the vote on Nov. 10.
Is Johnson leaving Congress?
No. He won re-election in Louisiana, and USA Today reported he is not expected to quit his seat.
Who will be the next speaker?
Democrats won the House, and Reuters reported Hakeem Jeffries is expected to become speaker on Jan. 3.
See what else is moving after the midterms on our trending news page, or read more national political coverage in Top Stories.
Updated Nov. 5, 2026