US House speaker Mike Johnson steps down after midterm losses

US House speaker Mike Johnson announced he will not seek re‑election as Republican leader following the party’s heavy defeats in the 3 November midterm elections.

Speaking on Fox News on Saturday, Johnson said the results forced him to “take responsibility when things go wrong” and that he reached the decision “pretty quickly after election night”. He added that he would continue to fight “from a role different than as minority leader in the next Congress”.

The decision follows historic losses for Republicans, with Democrats flipping seats in traditionally Republican states such as Texas and gaining control of both the Senate and the House. After the election, Democrats are projected to hold at least 55 Senate seats and 256 House seats, while Republicans are expected to have 44 and 169 respectively.

House Republicans have already elected Ohio congressman Jim Jordan to replace Johnson when the new Congress convenes on 3 January. In the Senate, South Dakota’s John Thune was re‑elected as Republican leader, while Democrats have not yet chosen their new leaders. Hakeem Jeffries is expected to become the first Black speaker of the House, and a leadership contest is developing in the Senate, with Chris Van Hollen challenging Chuck Schumer.

The outcome contrasts with former President Donald Trump’s refusal to accept responsibility for the party’s setbacks.

Source: The Guardian. Photo: Guohua Song / Pexels.