House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) signaled that he would run for minority leader if Republicans lose the majority in November, saying he expects his colleagues would ask him to “continue leading this conference.”
“I want to be of my highest and best use to God and my country, and I feel like, at this stage of life, I’m doing what I’m called to do, and so I intend to lead as speaker,” Johnson said during an interview with CBS News. “… But in the unlikely scenario where we lost the majority, I would expect my colleagues would ask me to continue leading this conference, even if we have divided government.”
Speculation about Johnson’s future has heated up after the speaker told Fox News last week that he was unsure “what my next chapter of life is” if Republicans lose.
In the CBS interview, Johnson was asked by Robert Costa about previous speakers leaving Congress after their party lost the majority. Johnson said he would “continue to serve my highest best use of God and country, and I believe right now, as we’re sitting here, that’s as speaker of the House.”
“And if we lost the majority, I don’t think that that position that I have would change,” Johnson said. “I think I would stay right there.”
Republicans are facing significant headwinds heading into the November elections, as polling shows them losing ground in several House races across the country amid anger over the rising cost of living due to tariffs and the Iran war.
Johnson is on a six-week campaign swing that will take him across more than 40 congressional districts in 22 states until Election Day.
If Republicans do lose the majority, Johnson said he would be comfortable battling Democrats in the final two years of President Donald Trump’s second term.
“You can be tough and be smart and strategic at the same time,” Johnson said, citing his work on the House Judiciary Committee and defense of Trump during his impeachment trials.
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“I was a litigator in my past life, constitutional law attorney,” Johnson added. “We can be tough, but we can be happy warriors. That’s what Ronald Reagan was. That’s what I fashioned myself as. And my colleagues know what we’ve done.
“I tell you what’s tough is guiding a small majority in very divided times of government, in unprecedented times of division in the country, and ensuring success, and I’ll put that record up against anybody who’s ever held the gavel.”