The day after Democrats were projected to win both chambers of Congress, the biggest new development in Washington is about who will lead each party next year. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) will not seek to remain the top House Republican when the new Congress begins, according to a top aide and two GOP lawmakers who spoke to The Washington Post on condition of anonymity because Johnson had not yet announced the decision publicly.
Meanwhile, two Senate races that could shape the size of the new Democratic majority, in Alaska and Mississippi, were still too close to call on Wednesday, and President Trump and leaders of both parties laid out very different plans for the next two years. Here is what is new since our morning report on the midterm results.
A race to lead House Republicans
Johnson became speaker in October 2023 after a small group of House Republicans helped remove Kevin McCarthy. In October, he told CBS News he would stay on as minority leader if Republicans lost the majority, the Post reported, but the outlet’s sources now say he will step aside.
Two senior Republicans had already signaled they would run for minority leader no matter what Johnson decided: Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio). Jordan made his plans public Wednesday in a letter to colleagues, according to the Post.
On the Democratic side, Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) is widely expected to become speaker. House Democrats will first nominate a candidate in a private caucus vote, and the full House will elect the speaker by roll call when the new Congress convenes in January. Caucus elections this month are expected to make Rep. Katherine Clark majority leader and Rep. Pete Aguilar whip, the Post reported.
Senate leaders stay put, for now
In the Senate, Republican Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), who will move from majority leader to minority leader in January, has said he expects to run again, and no Republican has publicly announced a challenge ahead of next week’s leadership election. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who has led Senate Democrats for a decade, faces no announced challenger either.
Some conservative commentators blamed Thune and other Republican leaders on social media for not ending the filibuster or passing the SAVE Act, The National Desk reported. Thune answered with a long post on X defending the party’s record on the border, the economy and confirmations of judges and Cabinet nominees.
Alaska and Mississippi still counting
As of Wednesday, Democrats held 54 Senate seats and Republicans 44, with two races outstanding, according to NBC Chicago’s tally. Democrats flipped seven seats: Kansas, Iowa, Texas, Ohio, Maine, North Carolina and South Carolina.
- Mississippi: With more than 95% of the vote counted, Democrat Scott Colom led Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith by just 43 votes.
- Alaska: Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan led Democrat Mary Peltola by 1,677 votes, with about 80,000 votes left to count.
The Alaska race also carries a legal fight. Before Election Day, the Justice Department asked a federal court to block certification if Sullivan lost and to investigate whether votes for a second candidate named Dan Sullivan were meant for the senator. U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason dismissed the case, calling the requested relief “infeasible,” and the department filed notice that it would appeal, the Associated Press reported.
In the House, Democrats were projected to win about 258 seats to 177 for Republicans, NBC Chicago reported; 218 are needed for a majority. Dozens of House races remained uncalled early Wednesday, according to CBS News.
How each side sees the results
President Trump told Fox News he was somewhat surprised by the outcome and blamed Republican candidates and high gas prices tied to the war with Iran, ABC News reported. He said he would work with Democrats to “make sure things go well for our country” and would consider an immigration deal, but he also warned he would use his veto on bills he opposes. In his first extended public remarks since the vote, he toured reporters through the White House ballroom construction site without discussing the results, the AP reported.
Vice President JD Vance offered his own explanation in a lengthy post on X. “The reason we lost is the war,” Vance wrote, adding that pollsters also pointed to the cost of living, according to Forbes.
Republican leaders say they will serve as a check on the new majority. Thune wrote that Republicans will work with the president because “we cannot let their fringe positions become the mainstream,” according to The National Desk.
Democrats describe the results as a mandate. Jeffries said “the American people are crying out for transformational change,” the AP reported, and he has outlined a 100-day agenda focused on lowering the cost of living and oversight of the administration. Schumer summed up his party’s message as “Relief is on the way,” CBS News reported. Democrats have also signaled investigations of administration officials, and some have not ruled out impeachment proceedings, according to the AP.
Why it matters for families
Leadership races decide which bills get a vote and which issues lead the agenda. Over the next two years, divided government means proposals on prices, health care, immigration and spending will need agreement between a Democratic Congress and a Republican president, or they will stall. For ballot questions voters settled this week, see our guide to what voters decided on abortion, voter ID and citizenship.
What to watch next
- Final counts and possible recounts in Mississippi and Alaska, and the Justice Department’s appeal in the Alaska case.
- Senate Republican leadership elections next week, and House caucus votes later this month.
- Whether Johnson confirms his plans publicly, and whether other Republicans enter the race for minority leader.
Upstormed News will keep following the uncalled races and leadership votes as they unfold.
Read more: Election Day 2026: Courts Settle Last Disputes as Polls Begin Closing at 6 p.m.
Which issue do you most want the next Congress to work on together?
Sources: The Washington Post via The Spokesman-Review, “Mike Johnson won’t seek House minority leader position after midterm losses” (November 4, 2026); Associated Press via WHEC, “Latest: Party leaders share reaction after Democrats win the House and Senate” (November 4, 2026); ABC News, “Trump says he was ‘a little bit surprised’ after Democrats’ big win in midterms” (November 4, 2026); NBC Chicago, “Election 2026: Which races still haven’t been called, and which Senate, House seats flipped?” (November 4, 2026); CBS News, “2026 midterm election updates as fallout begins over sweeping Democratic victories” (November 4, 2026); Forbes, “Vance Blames Republican Midterm Losses On Iran War” (November 4, 2026); The National Desk, “Senate Majority Leader Thune gets blamed for massive GOP midterm loss” (November 4, 2026); Associated Press via ABC7, “Judge dismisses lawsuit seeking to block certification of Alaska Senate race if GOP incumbent loses” (November 1, 2026); Associated Press via Crossville Chronicle, “AP News Summary” (November 4, 2026)
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