Speaker Mike Johnson told his staff on Wednesday that he will not run for House minority leader, according to multiple sources familiar with the call cited by ABC7 Bay Area. His decision came hours after Republicans lost heavily in Tuesday's midterm elections, with ABC News projecting that Democrats will take control of both the Senate and the House.
The speakership Johnson currently holds is a majority-party post, and the projected Democratic takeover of the House means Republicans will move into the minority when the new Congress convenes.
Why it matters
The leadership shake-up marks the first concrete step in the GOP's response to an election night that ABC7 Bay Area described as a Democratic wave. With control of both chambers projected to flip, Republicans face decisions about who will lead them in the minority and how the party will reposition itself after the losses.
The timing is tight. House GOP leadership elections are set for Nov. 10, and candidates have until noon on Nov. 6 to declare, according to ABC7 Bay Area.
Jordan launches bid, citing a 'staggering day'
Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan formally announced his candidacy for minority leader in a letter to colleagues on Wednesday, which ABC News obtained and ABC7 Bay Area reported. Before that announcement, sources had told ABC7 Bay Area that Jordan had signaled to allies he expected to run.
In the letter, Jordan called the result "a staggering day for our Conference" and said Republicans must draw lessons from it as they look ahead. He also described himself as "battle-tested on oversight" and argued that the party needs to promote its policies.
Johnson's withdrawal and Jordan's entry came within hours of each other, setting up a contest that will be settled by House Republicans next week.
A night of projected firsts and a tight Senate map
Beyond the chamber-level results, ABC7 Bay Area reported that voters are projected to have elected the country's first Black, Native American and Hispanic female governors, among other firsts.
In Wisconsin, Democrat David Crowley was projected to win the governor's race, defeating Republican Tom Tiffany and succeeding outgoing Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, according to ABC7 Bay Area.
Not every result was settled quickly. Politico reported that the Senate races in Mississippi and Alaska could take days or weeks to call. In Mississippi, WLOX reported that incumbent Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Democrat Colom were running neck and neck with most votes counted, while the BBC described the state's Senate contest as locked in a tight race as counting continued. NBC News also carried live results for the Mississippi Senate race.
ABC7 Bay Area's senior political correspondent, Rachel Scott, broke down what is known about turnout and the messages voters were sending with their ballots.
What to watch next: the Nov. 6 filing deadline and the Nov. 10 House GOP leadership vote, which will show how Republicans intend to organize in the minority — and whether Jordan faces competition for the post.
