House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., will not continue as the top Republican in the House when the new Congress convenes, according to information obtained by NPR Topics: National from a source with knowledge of his plans who was not authorized to speak publicly. The decision follows a difficult midterm election for Republicans, who lost their majority after Democrats flipped seats in traditionally red states that President Trump had previously won.
Johnson's tenure as speaker spanned two terms. He assumed the role after his predecessor, California Rep. Kevin McCarthy, was removed from the position in 2023. Republicans are scheduled to hold their leadership elections on Nov. 10, when the party will choose its leadership team for the minority.
In remarks Tuesday night, Johnson acknowledged the historical headwinds his party faced. "From the first day of this election, we knew that to keep the House and sustain our majority, we would have to defy more than a century of midterm history," Johnson said, as reported by NPR Topics: National. "It's only happened twice in 90 years that a sitting president has picked up or held seats for his party in that first two-year cycle. There's a lot of reasons for it. It's very, very difficult to overcome, and it looks like history will be kept tonight."
Throughout his speakership, Johnson worked closely with the Trump administration while managing a narrow majority that left little room for error. With just a handful of defections, Republican priorities were at risk, requiring Johnson to balance competing factions within his conference.
The dynamic will shift for the presumptive next speaker, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York. While a handful of lawmakers elected with support from the Democratic Socialists of America are expected to advocate for more progressive policies, Jeffries will likely enjoy a more comfortable margin that allows him to advance his priorities even if some members defect. Jeffries would make history as the first Black lawmaker elected speaker.
