Speaker of the House Mike Johnson of Louisiana has been the leader of the House of Representatives (119th Congress) now for two years and one month, but his time as Speaker seems assured to be limited, and to end soon.
His House majority is becoming smaller, and after the announced resignation of Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, to take place in January, there are strong hints that some more House Republicans, sensing doom in the Midterm Congressional Elections of 2026, may opt out before then, leaving vacancies.
The 119th Congress already stands out as the worst, least productive Congress, possibly going back to the early 1930s, and the 71st and 72nd Congresses (1929-1933), as the Great Depression overtook the nation under Herbert Hoover!
That led to Democratic dominance for the next six decades from 1932-1994, and helped to bring about the New Deal of Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Great Society of Lyndon B. Johnson.
If more House Republicans decide to take an early exit, suddenly, the House of Representatives could fall into the control of the Democrats, dislodge Johnson, and make Hakeem Jeffries Speaker of the House.
Even if that does not occur, there is a lot of discontent in the Republican Party with Johnson, who is seen as having “caved in”, being a sycophant and obsequious to the demands of President Donald Trump, and not concerned himself enough with pleasing his own House majority.
Hard to believe, but many think of Johnson as the worst Republican Speaker of modern times, which is saying a lot, when one considers his competition is Kevin McCarthy, his direct predecessor; Paul Ryan, who preceded McCarthy; John Boehner, who preceded Ryan, and even Dennis Hastert, the longest serving Speaker from 1999-2007, who ended up in federal prison on charges of sexual abuse of teenage boys.
By comparison, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (2007-2011, 2019-2023) shines as a brilliant House leader, regarded as one of the top few of all time, and now choosing to retire at the end of the 119th Congress at the end of 2026!