House Speaker Mike Johnson says he intends to continue leading House Republicans regardless of the midterm election outcome, potentially setting up a leadership contest with Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan if Democrats gain control of the chamber.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
WASHINGTON — House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is signaling that he intends to retain his position as the Republican Party’s top House leader even if Democrats win control of the chamber in Tuesday’s midterm elections, complicating potential leadership bids by Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan.
Johnson’s recent statements have prompted discussions among Republican lawmakers, aides and strategists about the party’s leadership after November 3, particularly if Republicans lose their narrow House majority.
According to an October 29 report by The Hill, Scalise, R-La., and Jordan, R-Ohio, are both being discussed as potential candidates for minority leader, although neither has formally announced plans to challenge Johnson.
The speaker has publicly indicated that losing the majority would not necessarily end his leadership tenure.
In an October interview with CBS News, Johnson said he expected fellow Republicans to support his continued leadership even if Democrats controlled the next Congress.
“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 said.
He subsequently made clear that he intended to remain in Congress and continue leading Republicans.
“I’m going to continue to serve my highest best use to God and country, and I believe right now, as we’re sitting here, that’s the Speaker of the House,” Johnson said. “And if we lost the majority, I don’t think that that position that I have would change. I think I would stay right there.”
The comments represent a departure from expectations among some Republicans who believed Johnson would follow previous GOP speakers who left congressional leadership after losing control of the House.
The speculation intensified Monday when President Donald Trump issued a public endorsement of Johnson.
“Mike Johnson is a true friend, fighter, and WINNER,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, “and he has my Complete and Total endorsement for Re-Election.”
Johnson welcomed the president’s support.
“Thank you, President @realDonaldTrump!” Johnson responded. “The best is yet to come as we save America!”
Trump’s statement endorsed Johnson’s reelection but did not explicitly address a potential contest for House minority leader.
Nevertheless, the president’s support has attracted attention because of his influence within the Republican conference and his close working relationship with the speaker.
Johnson has served as speaker since October 2023, when Republicans selected him following the removal of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
His tenure has involved repeated negotiations over federal spending, government funding deadlines and legislation backed by the Trump administration.
The GOP’s narrow majority has frequently required Johnson to negotiate with different factions within his conference while maintaining enough support to pass legislation.
Those difficulties have shaped discussions over whether Republicans would seek new leadership following an election defeat.
Some GOP aides interviewed by The Hill expressed skepticism that Johnson would actually pursue the minority leader position.
“I highly doubt that the Speaker will go for minority leader at this point,” one Republican aide told the publication Wednesday.
“I just don’t see him having a desire. I don’t think he’s having a fun time as Speaker.”
Other Republicans argued that Johnson’s experience managing a divided conference would strengthen his case for remaining in leadership.
One Republican staffer said the speaker had encountered numerous unexpected challenges and handled them effectively.
“I think that the party recognizes that and will react accordingly,” the aide said.
“That doesn’t mean there’s not people gunning for the same spot, but I think Johnson has been a good leader, a team player amidst what is, you know — we could say honestly — has been some chaos at times.”
Johnson’s spokesperson emphasized that the speaker remains focused on the election rather than a possible leadership contest.
The spokesperson told The Hill that Johnson is “solely focused on protecting the majority” and intends to campaign in 21 congressional districts across 13 states before Election Day.
Scalise, meanwhile, has declined to publicly discuss a potential challenge.
As majority leader, he is the second-ranking Republican in the House and has spent years developing relationships with members across the conference.
He also played a central role in the 2023 speaker election following McCarthy’s removal.
Scalise initially won the Republican nomination for speaker but withdrew after failing to secure enough support to win a House floor vote.
His current leadership position and fundraising activities have led some Republican aides to identify him as a possible successor if Johnson steps aside.
“I think for Scalise … it’d be an easy transition for him to step into that,” one GOP staffer told The Hill.
The aide contrasted Scalise’s formal leadership experience with Jordan’s relationships among conservative Republicans.
“But for Jordan, he’s really — how do I phrase this? He’s been a loyal soldier. He’s rallied people well, and he’s an effective politician,” the staffer said.
Jordan, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, is another prominent figure in discussions about the party’s future leadership.
A longtime member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, Jordan unsuccessfully sought the speakership in October 2023 before Republicans ultimately selected Johnson.
Jordan has remained influential among conservative lawmakers and has led investigations through the Judiciary Committee.
Some Republicans believe his public profile and relationships with the party’s conservative members could provide a foundation for a leadership campaign.
“He’s done a lot of work over the past couple years where he’s kind of built his own coalition,” another Republican aide told The Hill.
The aide argued that Jordan’s approach could be particularly relevant if Republicans were operating as the minority party.
“When you’re in the minority, you need somebody who can be a fighter and willing to go out there and go on TV and bomb some bombs,” the aide said. “And I think he’s the guy for it.”
However, neither Scalise nor Jordan has confirmed an intention to seek the minority leader position.
Their offices did not respond to The Hill’s requests for comment Wednesday.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., has indicated that he intends to remain in his current leadership position rather than pursue the party’s top job.
The outcome of the midterms could also influence how Republican members assess Johnson’s leadership.
Some aides suggested that substantial Republican losses could lead members to reconsider whether the existing leadership team should remain in place.
“I would imagine there to be more of a push for someone else, just given that over, you know, a billion dollars has been spent on the midterms alone,” one GOP staffer told The Hill.
Other Republicans have argued that Johnson should not automatically be held responsible for an unfavorable election result, pointing to the broader political environment and the historical tendency of the president’s party to lose House seats during midterm elections.
A leadership transition would also involve established Republican conference procedures.
The House Republican Conference has scheduled its leadership elections for November 10, one week after the general election.
Prospective candidates have until noon on November 6 to declare their intentions, and a candidate forum is planned before the conference votes.
Republicans select their party leader through a secret-ballot election among conference members.
Johnson would not automatically become minority leader if Democrats take control of the House. He would need to secure the support of a majority of Republican members voting in the conference election.
If Republicans retain their House majority, the speaker would still need to win the formal House floor vote when the new Congress convenes in January.
The historical record offers examples of different approaches following a change in House control.
Former Republican speakers Newt Gingrich, Dennis Hastert, Paul Ryan and Kevin McCarthy left Congress after their speakerships ended.
Former Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi, however, remained her party’s leader after Republicans won control of the House in the 2010 midterm elections.
Johnson has cited his experience and continuing relationships within the Republican conference as reasons he could remain effective in either position.
For now, the speaker continues campaigning to preserve the Republican majority while Scalise and Jordan publicly maintain their focus on the November 3 elections.
The results will determine whether Republicans organize the next House under Johnson as speaker or hold an internal contest for minority leader.
With Trump publicly endorsing Johnson and multiple senior Republicans being discussed as potential alternatives, the party faces decisions about its leadership structure immediately after Election Day.
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