Republican lawmakers in the U.S. House and Senate were scheduled to hold secret-ballot elections on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, to select their leadership teams for the upcoming Congress. The votes followed midterm election results in which Democrats won at least 252 seats in the House and 54 seats in the Senate, securing majorities in both chambers starting in January.
The leadership transition began after House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) announced he would not seek the minority leader post. Johnson, who has led a fractious majority, cited the election results as a reason for his departure, stating that the party would have stayed its current course had it retained control.
In the House, Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) are competing for the minority leader position. Scalise has campaigned on a platform of unifying Republican factions, while Jordan has emphasized his experience in conducting oversight and investigations. Other contested House roles include the minority whip position, where Tom Emmer (R-MN) faces a challenge from August Pfluger (R-TX), and the conference chair role, currently held by Lisa McClain (R-MI), who is being challenged by Erin Houchin (R-IN) and Greg Steube (R-FL).
In the Senate, Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) is seeking to become minority leader and currently faces no formal challengers. However, a group of Republican senators, including Ron Johnson (R-WI) and David McCormick (R-PA), requested a delay in the vote to allow for an evaluation of the party’s election performance. Thune stated on Monday that the conference would discuss the election losses before proceeding with the vote.
The scale of the Democratic victory—the largest Senate majority for the party since the 1950s—shifts the legislative burden. While Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) stated his party is ready to "lower costs," the 60-vote filibuster rule means Democrats will still require the cooperation of at least six Republicans to pass most major legislation. This gives the newly elected Republican minority leader significant influence over the daily functioning of the Senate.
The immediate focus for the new leaders will be the "lame-duck" session currently underway, followed by the official start of the new Congress in January 2027. House candidates were scheduled to make their pitches starting at 9 a.m. ET on Tuesday, November 10, with votes expected in the afternoon. The leadership teams will be responsible for navigating the run-up to the 2028 presidential election, setting the stage for the party's platform and its response to Democratic-led investigations into the administration. Final counts of seats will determine the exact margin the new minority leaders must work with.