Mike Johnson Will Not Run for Minority Leader After Republicans Lose the House

House Speaker Mike Johnson will not run for House minority leader in the new Congress. He announced the decision on an all staff call on Wednesday, November 4, a day after Republicans lost their House majority in the midterm elections.

Bloomberg Government reported that Johnson will give up his role as GOP leader. Reuters reported the same decision on Wednesday, citing a source. The Wall Street Journal, citing a person with knowledge of the matter, said the announcement came after Johnson spoke with President Trump.

Johnson stays in Congress

Johnson is not leaving Congress. He was re-elected on Tuesday in Louisiana's 4th District with 58 percent in a five candidate field, according to unofficial returns from the Louisiana Secretary of State reported by the Shreveport-Bossier Journal. The New York Post also reported he is expected to remain in Congress, citing a source.

He took over as speaker on October 25, 2023, after former Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted, governing one of the slimmest majorities in the lower chamber's history.

Scalise and Jordan move first

House Republicans largely expect Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio to vie for the post, Bloomberg Government reported, though others could emerge before the November 6 declaration deadline.

Scalise has begun informing colleagues that he intends to run, two sources told Fox News Digital. Bloomberg Government separately reported that Scalise will run to be minority leader next year, citing a person familiar with his thinking.

A source describing Scalise's pitch told Fox News Digital: "His number one goal will be to lead the conference back into the majority. He is a proven and tested leader who is ready on day one."

Fox News Digital reported that Jordan will mount his own campaign, setting up a contest against Scalise. Louisiana First News likewise reported that both men are expected to launch bids.

One House GOP lawmaker told Fox News Digital on Wednesday morning: "They should all step aside and let new people run."

A lower bar than the speakership

Winning the job requires only more than 50 percent of the Republican conference, Fox News Digital reported, whereas the speakership needs a majority of the entire 435 seat House.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York is in line to become speaker when the new Congress convenes in January, after Democrats won majorities in both chambers on Tuesday.

A decision Johnson had left open

Johnson had gone back and forth in October on whether he would keep leading Republicans if they lost the majority. The Wall Street Journal reported that he first said he was not sure what his next chapter was, and days later said he would expect colleagues to ask him to continue.

To CBS News in early October, as quoted by the Wall Street Journal, Johnson said: "In the unlikely scenario where we lost the majority, I would expect my colleagues would ask me to continue leading this conference, even if we have divided government."

Johnson has now closed that question. Others have until November 6 to declare.