2 hours ago
WASHINGTON — House Speaker Mike Johnson told staff on Wednesday morning that he would not run for minority leader after Republicans lost control of Congress in the midterm elections, two sources familiar with the announcement said.
Johnson handily won reelection to his Louisiana congressional district. But members of his party lost across the country on an election night that will put Democrats in the majority in the House and Senate in the next legislative session.
Among the likely contenders to try to replace Johnson as House leader are fellow Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise, the current majority leader, and Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, the current House Judiciary Committee chairman.
A person familiar with situation said Johnson did not want to get in the way of Scalise's ambitions. Scalise previously ran for speaker in 2023 but dropped out after he was unable to consolidate Republican support. Johnson went on to become speaker of the House.
Some previous speakers have resigned their seats after stepping down, but Johnson is not expected to resign from Congress, a second person familiar with his thinking said. Johnson joked before the midterm election that he could return to his hometown of Shreveport and start a lawn-mowing business if Republicans were defeated. He later said it was a "tongue in cheek" comment.
#House #congress #scalise
Johnson handily won reelection to his Louisiana congressional district. But members of his party lost across the country on an election night that will put Democrats in the majority in the House and Senate in the next legislative session.
Among the likely contenders to try to replace Johnson as House leader are fellow Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise, the current majority leader, and Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, the current House Judiciary Committee chairman.
A person familiar with situation said Johnson did not want to get in the way of Scalise's ambitions. Scalise previously ran for speaker in 2023 but dropped out after he was unable to consolidate Republican support. Johnson went on to become speaker of the House.
Some previous speakers have resigned their seats after stepping down, but Johnson is not expected to resign from Congress, a second person familiar with his thinking said. Johnson joked before the midterm election that he could return to his hometown of Shreveport and start a lawn-mowing business if Republicans were defeated. He later said it was a "tongue in cheek" comment.
#House #congress #scalise
2 months ago
Democrats are widely expected to win control of the House in November's election. The Senate remains a tossup. But there is a nagging suspicion that Trump will somehow pervert the will of the people to ensure that Republicans retain their majority in the House and somehow steal the election.
Here's his playbook: For starters, MAGAs will demonize the Democrats. Evoking Senator Joseph McCarthy, President Trump has already referred to Democrats as "hard core, godless Communists."
Republican House majority leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) said, "The Bolshevik takeover of the Democratic Party is in full swing, and communism is on the ballot this November."
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) posted, "The question before Congress is whether we will preserve our constitutional republic OR chart a fundamentally different course that leads us down the ROAD TO COMMUNISM."
Trump will delegitimize eligible voters. He will scare them away from the polls by posting federal agents at their voting places or discouraging them by disparaging mail-in ballots.
#Trump
Here's his playbook: For starters, MAGAs will demonize the Democrats. Evoking Senator Joseph McCarthy, President Trump has already referred to Democrats as "hard core, godless Communists."
Republican House majority leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) said, "The Bolshevik takeover of the Democratic Party is in full swing, and communism is on the ballot this November."
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) posted, "The question before Congress is whether we will preserve our constitutional republic OR chart a fundamentally different course that leads us down the ROAD TO COMMUNISM."
Trump will delegitimize eligible voters. He will scare them away from the polls by posting federal agents at their voting places or discouraging them by disparaging mail-in ballots.
#Trump
