Speaker Johnson won’t seek reelection as House Republican leader after party’s midterm wipeout
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson will be stepping aside from Republican Party leadership after the GOP’s wipeout in the midterm election, declining to seek support to stay on as House minority leader in the new Congress, according to two people familiar with his decision Wednesday.
House Republican Leader Mike Johnson announced that he will not seek reelection as House Republican leader following the GOP’s significant losses in the midterm elections. Johnson will retain his seat as a representative from Louisiana when Congress reconvenes in January. His sudden rise to the position of House Speaker followed the ousting of Kevin McCarthy in 2023 due to internal disagreements within the Republican Party.
Johnson's tenure as Speaker has been marked by close ties to former President Donald Trump, as well as his role in advancing Trump's agenda, including tax breaks and social services cuts. However, Johnson's assertions that Republicans would defy historical trends in the midterms proved to be incorrect, as Democrats gained control of the House majority in the recent elections.
The next steps involve the House Republicans electing their new leader, with Reps. Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Jim Jordan of Ohio being the frontrunners. It is expected that House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York will be nominated for the role of House Democratic Leader.
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