Johnson out as House Republican leader after GOP rout

House Speaker Mike Johnson has announced he will not seek a leadership role in the next Congress, according to sources familiar with the matter. This announcement comes in the wake of the Republican Party's significant losses during the recent midterm elections. It is expected that this decision will prompt a flurry of activity among House Republican leadership contenders, with Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and current Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., both planning to launch their own leadership bids starting on Wednesday.

Both Jordan and Scalise had previously faced setbacks in their speakership bids following Kevin McCarthy's recent ouster. During this period, Johnson served as an unexpected consensus pick among House Republicans. Earlier, Johnson had hinted that he might step back from leadership or leave Congress altogether as the party's prospects in the midterms grew increasingly bleak.

Democrats are not anticipating major changes within their ranks, although some progressive members have indicated their intention to vote against Hakeem Jeffries for the position of speaker, though this is considered unlikely to affect his election.