Rep. Mike Johnson to cede House leadership role

House Speaker Mike Johnson will step aside as the top Republican in the new Congress. A source familiar with his plans said he does not intend to stay in the role. The decision follows a heavy loss for the Republican Party in the recent midterm elections. The party failed to hold its majority in the House of Representatives.

Johnson is a Republican from Louisiana. He served two terms as speaker. He took the position after California Rep. Kevin McCarthy was removed in 2023. Johnson acknowledged the difficulty of winning in a midterm year. He noted that a sitting president’s party has lost seats in most such cycles.

“It looks like history will be kept tonight,” Johnson said in remarks Tuesday night. He explained that only two times in 90 years has a sitting president’s party picked up or held seats in that first two-year cycle. The blue wave exceeded expectations in many areas of Washington. Seats in traditionally red states changed hands.

The loss opens the top leadership position for the minority party. Republicans are scheduled to hold their leadership elections on Nov. 10. Johnson worked closely with the Trump administration during his tenure. He managed a narrow majority where a single defection could block party priorities. That dynamic will not apply to the presumptive next speaker.

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York is expected to lead the House. He will likely serve as the first Black lawmaker in that position. Jeffries holds a comfortable margin in the new Congress. This advantage allows him to pass priorities even if some members defect. A handful of lawmakers were elected with support from the Democratic Socialists of America.

Jeffries will have more room to maneuver than his predecessor. The new leadership structure will reflect the shift in party control. The transition marks a change in the balance of power in the chamber. Johnson’s departure clears the path for the new minority leader. The process will continue as the new Congress prepares to convene.