By — Lisa Mascaro, Associated Press Lisa Mascaro, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/johnson-wont-seek-reelection-as-house-speaker-after-republican-wipeout Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Johnson won't seek reelection as House speaker after Republican wipeout Politics Nov 4, 2026 11:40 AM EST 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. Johnson is expected to retain his seat as a rank-and-file member of the House from Louisiana when the Congress convenes in January. He won reelection from his Shreveport-area district for an eighth term in office. WATCH LIVE: Takeaways from the 2026 midterms and answers to your election questions It's a swift rise and fall for Johnson, often seen as an accidental speaker, who nevertheless drew close to President Donald Trump and led the House GOP during a tumultuous era, with one of the slimmest majorities in modern…
Johnson won't seek reelection as House speaker after Republican wipeout
In short
The leadership vacancy marks the conclusion of a turbulent era that began after Kevin McCarthy's historic ouster in 2023. During that tenure, outgoing leaders navigated one of modern history's slimmest majorities, passing substantial tax cuts and shielding the administration from an effort to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. House Republicans will meet in Washington next week to choose their next minority leader from among previous contenders. Despite stepping down from the top post, the departing leader will continue serving his eighth term representing Louisiana.
Key points
- Mike Johnson will remain in the House as a rank-and-file member representing Louisiana ra…: Mike Johnson will remain in the House as a rank-and-file member representing Louisiana rather than seeking the minority leader role.
- Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan offer competing paths forward for Republicans, representing…: Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan offer competing paths forward for Republicans, representing business-focused conservatives and the hard-right Freedom Caucus respectively.
- Johnson's tenure concluded after managing a slim majority that passed tax cuts and shield…: Johnson's tenure concluded after managing a slim majority that passed tax cuts and shielded Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from impeachment.