Overview
- On Monday Rep. Jason Smith urged the House Republican Conference to delay its leadership vote so the party can examine why it lost seats and consider rule changes first.
- Sen. Ron Johnson said he will not take part in an early Senate leadership election and warned he would leave the room if the vote is held that soon.
- Senate Majority Leader John Thune has resisted a delay but said he will hear arguments from colleagues as calls for postponement grow.
- House Speaker Mike Johnson does not plan to stay as minority leader and both Jim Jordan and Steve Scalise have launched campaigns to replace him.
- Republicans are focused on specific procedural fixes — including rules on secret ballots, the motion-to-vacate that lets a single member force removal of a leader, and the rapid timing of conference votes — changes that could shape leader legitimacy and party cohesion going into the next Congress and the 2028 cycle.