Mike Johnson Will Not Seek House GOP Minority Leader Post

Mike Johnson will not seek the House Republican minority-leader post in the next Congress, after Democrats won control of the House in the November 3 midterm elections. People familiar with his decision said he informed staff of his plans on November 4. Johnson won reelection to Louisiana’s 4th Congressional District and is expected to remain in the House as a rank-and-file member. The reports about Johnson’s decision trace to people familiar with the matter or accounts of his staff call; they do not cite a public announcement from Johnson specifying his future leadership plans. The reported decision concerns the minority-leader position. Some accounts say he will not seek any leadership role, but that broader description has not been established by a direct statement from him. The change comes after Democrats secured the House majority, ending Republican control of the chamber. Johnson had led House Republicans as speaker since October 2023, when the conference elected him after Kevin McCarthy was removed from the post. The speaker is chosen by the full House; Republicans will choose their own conference leaders for the next Congress. Johnson had said before the election that...