House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) is urging his Republican colleagues to delay anointing a new leader as the party comes to terms with losing the majority in the 2026 midterm elections.
Smith said that an internal GOP caucus vote scheduled for Tuesday to replace Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) should be shelved until the party can better understand “how and why we lost the trust of the American people. “
“Tomorrow, less than 24 hours after returning to Washington, the House Republican Conference is scheduled to meet to select who will lead us for the next two years,” Smith wrote on X on Monday. “We are less than a week removed from Tuesday’s elections, and need to understand how and why we lost the trust of the American people.”
Smith said that Republicans also needed to “address how our rules have empowered members to vote against rules, bills, and even the Speaker.”
“Failing to address these issues before choosing someone new to lead our Conference is doing a disservice to whoever we choose as Republican Leader,” he added. “We should delay our Leadership elections until we decide how to hold each other accountable and what our path forward should be. Our rules must never again permit a Leader to be taken hostage to the whims of an individual member. We can and must do better.”
Smith did express support for both House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH), the two candidates who have launched campaigns to replace Johnson as leader.
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House Republicans are hoping to rebuild after Democrats made a net gain of about 40 seats in last week’s elections, with some races remaining too close to call.
Further down the ballot, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) is being challenged by Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX), as House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-MI) is running against Reps. Erin Houchin (R-IN) and Greg Steube (R-FL) in elections that are scheduled to take place on Tuesday.