Speaker Mike Johnson won’t run for minority leader, setting up GOP battle

The Hill ^ | June 4, 2026 | Sudiksha Kochi

[Miami Rebel]

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said on a staff call Wednesday that he will not run for minority leader, according to two GOP staffers, heading off what will likely be a bitter fight over the party’s future in the next Congress as Republicans reel from a seismic election defeat.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) and House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) are both expected to launch bids for minority leader, setting up a potentially contentious contest as Republicans grapple with their diminished standing.

Johnson has had a rocky tenure as Speaker, often marked by internal GOP fighting, a razor-thin margin and repeated challenges in keeping his conference united over government funding, the Iran war and other issues.

He was first elected to Congress in 2016, and he was elected as Speaker in 2023, succeeding former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). Before taking on that role, he served as the vice chair of the House Republican Conference.

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TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: congress; johnson; speaker

[Miami Rebel]

The only worse job than being a Republican Speaker is being a Republican Minority Leader.

[Sacajaweau]

Jim seems to like where he is at...so maybe Scalise will get the call.

[Skywise]

Good riddance

[cp124]

Take Thune the Goon with you.

[Antoninus]

I give Mike credit. He pushed things through with his narrow majority. The Senate was the roadblock for the past two years.

Note that Johnson feels it necessary to step aside.

Meanwhile, that absolute loser Thune is saying he wants to be minority leader.

Tells you all you need to know about RINOs. They are basically Democrats.

[Bayard]

Johnnson was way better than Thune. Thats for sure.

[Frank Drebin]

They are all in the same party, make no mistake.

[nitzy]

Are you crazy????

Being a Republican Minority Leader is the absolute best job.

If your whole party is based on pretending to be a Conservative and care about your constituents but actually be a corrupt slave of big business, Wall Street, tech, the Defense Industry and Israel....being in a position to complain and scream and gnash your teeth about the terrible things the Democrats are doing, while at the same time being completely powerless to stop them or doing anything about it....IS THE PERFECT POSITION TO BE IN.

[Seruzawa]

F*** that useless pos. Watch him run and hide. F*** him and this useless Republican Party.

[volare737]

Johnson made a fool out of himself predicting that Republicans would expand their majority. He should have listened to the polls—which were NOT wrong at all.

In fact, overall, the actual voting gave democrats bigger margins than the polls.

[pas]

yeah they all want to expand the supreme court, add dc and puerto rico to senate, greatly raise individual and corporate taxes, open borders, indict Trump for all things imagined and install socialism among other things.

Other than that exactly the same.

[volare737]

Not to mention the fact that there is now a zero chance of a conservative being appointed to the Supreme Court,,,,ZERO!!!

Let’s just hope Thomas or Alito do not retire anytime soon.

[sjmjax]

I agree. That’s the bright side of this election.

Republican leadership is back in their comfort zone.

The minority party and foot stools for the Democrats.

Republicans know how to use power about the well as a fish knows how to play an accordion.

[volare737]

….or even better, they should retire RIGHT NOW,,,,,,so there is time before January to replace them.

[Georgia Girl 2]

I thought Mike Johnson did a pretty good job.

[grobdriver]

I don’t see how it makes a difference. Give the job to the newest, least experienced member - they could hardly do worse.

[Nervous Tick]

>> I give Mike credit. He pushed things through with his narrow majority. The Senate was the roadblock for the past two years.
>> Johnnson was way better than Thune. Thats for sure.

Yes and Amen. Mike Johnson is a dedicated, Christ-centered man who did his level best with diligence and perseverance in a very difficult role. Thanks and God Bless You, Rep. Johnson.

[nitzy]

I can actually see Jim Jordan taking a stab at this one.

Of course he would never make any real effort to become Speaker. Because in the Speaker position, he might actually have to do something other than “own the libs” in a congressional hearing. He might have to spend political capital to get something done.

He might open himself up to being in a position where either his blackmailers will release their information OR he reveals himself as the deep state stooge that he is.

[capydick]

I thought Mike Johnson did a pretty good job.

Given what he had to work with - he did. Thune and the Senate was the problem, he needs to be run out of the party.

[TermLimits4All]

Who really gives a crap at this point. The globalists have won and when the demoncrats win in November 2028 the country is done. I’m done voting because it simply doesn’t matter. My vote for republicans never results in anything good for the country.