Mike Johnson will step aside as top House Republican next Congress

Republicans in the House are choosing a new leader after Democrats won back the majority in Tuesday's midterm elections, and NPR · Daily Caller and Daily Caller report that Speaker Mike Johnson will not seek the top GOP post in the next Congress. NPR · Daily Caller, citing a source familiar with his plans who was not authorized to speak publicly, says the Louisiana Republican has served two terms as speaker. It describes a Democratic surge that reached traditionally red states, and notes that Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the presumptive next speaker, would be the first Black lawmaker in that job and should have a comfortable margin.

Daily Caller adds that two senior Republicans have entered the race for minority leader: Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan of Ohio, who chairs the Judiciary Committee. Republicans vote Tuesday. Scalise pledges to coordinate with the administration to counter Democratic investigations of President Donald Trump, while Jordan promises to work toward restoring a Republican majority. Daily Caller also recalls that the two men both sought the speakership in 2023, when Jordan beat Scalise in an internal vote but then lost three floor votes.

Summarized by PolitiKool from NPR · Daily Caller and Daily Caller’s reporting. Read the full story at NPR · Daily Caller → Also at Daily Caller →