House Speaker Mike Johnson said Wednesday that he will not seek a Republican leadership position in the next Congress after his party lost control of the chamber in the midterm elections.
Johnson informed Republican colleagues in a letter that the demands of leadership had required substantial sacrifices from his family and that he wanted to give them more of his time. His decision means he will not run for House minority leader when Republicans hold their internal leadership election next week.
The Louisiana Republican did not say in the letter whether he plans to remain in Congress. He praised the conference's work during his three years as speaker and described the decision to step away from leadership as difficult.
Johnson became speaker in October 2023 after the removal of Kevin McCarthy triggered a prolonged Republican search for a successor. He led the House through nearly three years of narrow Republican control, including repeated disputes over spending, procedural votes and the chamber's legislative agenda.
His departure opens a contest to lead House Republicans in the minority. House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan of Ohio announced a bid for the position Wednesday, while House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana has also been discussed as a possible candidate. The Republican conference is scheduled to choose its next leadership team on Nov. 10.
The leadership change will not affect Johnson's current term as speaker, which continues until the new Congress convenes in January. Democrats will then elect a speaker with their new House majority, while Republicans will select a minority leader to organize the opposition.
Johnson's decision followed Tuesday's election, in which Democrats won control of the House and Senate. The scale of the House loss increased pressure for a leadership transition after Johnson had spent the campaign predicting Republicans would retain and expand their majority.
### Sources
- [Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-house-speaker-johnson-will-not-seek-minority-leadership-post-2026-11-04/) - [Associated Press](https://www.clickorlando.com/news/politics/2026/11/04/speaker-johnson-wont-seek-reelection-as-house-republican-leader-after-partys-midterm-wipeout/) - [Axios](https://www.axios.com/2026/11/04/mike-johnson-gop-leadership-midterms-dear-colleague-letter)