Mike Johnson says he plans to remain GOP leader

Johnson says he would stay

House Speaker Mike Johnson said he intends to continue leading House Republicans even if the party loses its majority in the November 2026 elections.

In an interview with CBS News, Johnson said he expects Republican colleagues would ask him to remain their leader under divided government. He described losing the majority as an unlikely, “heaven forbid” outcome and said his focus remains on keeping the speakership for another two years.

Johnson has led House Republicans as speaker since 2023. He said he sees no reason for a leadership change and intends to continue serving and leading the conference.

Lawn-business remark was “tongue in cheek”

Johnson also addressed a remark that had raised questions about whether he might leave Congress. During an earlier Fox News appearance, he suggested he could return to Shreveport, Louisiana, and start a lawn business if Republicans lost control of the House.

He told CBS News’ Robert Costa that the comment was “tongue in cheek.” Johnson said he had been making a broader point about serving where he believed he could be most useful, rather than announcing a plan to retire from politics.

Johnson is campaigning for Republican House members and plans to visit 40 districts across 22 states before Election Day. He cited that travel, his fundraising for the party and his work managing the current narrow Republican majority as reasons colleagues should keep him in a leadership role.

He also pointed to his past work as a constitutional lawyer and his service on the House Judiciary Committee when asked whether he could operate as minority leader. Johnson maintained that his immediate objective is to preserve the Republican majority and continue as speaker.