Who will be the next congressional party leaders?

Democrats’ landslide victories in the 2026 midterm elections are triggering leadership changes in the House and Senate, marking a new era for the 120th Congress when it convenes in January 2027.More changes are expected in the House than in the Senate. But even in the upper chamber, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) faces criticism from within his ranks.Republicans in both chambers are reorienting following a dismal performance in Tuesday’s elections in which the GOP lost majorities in the House and Senate. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) will seek to remain the GOP’s top leader in the upper chamber, after Republicans lost seven seats. Thune will face an internal leadership election on Tuesday, though Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) has pushed to delay the vote. Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-WY) is expected to seek his current role in the minority as well.“As we head into 2027, Senate Republicans will not stand idly by as the far-left, socialist wing of the Democrat Party attempts to unwind everything we’ve done,” Thune said in a post to X. “Thankfully, we still have President Trump in the White House, and we’ll work with him to stop the worst impulses of Democrat extremism.”No one has publicly said they plan to challenge Thune next week, though Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) has been rumored to be eyeing the leadership role. One possible rival, Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), who ran against Thune in 2024, has already ruled out another bid, saying in September he would not challenge Thune again.Some House Republicans have expressed displeasure with Thune, blaming him for the GOP’s inability to pass the SAVE America Act, a priority of President Donald Trump that toughens election integrity safeguards. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) and Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) are among those disgruntled with Thune’s tactics.In the lower chamber, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said he would relinquish the gavel after Democrats gained more than 40 seats.House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) are vying to replace Johnson, though some members, such as Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL), have argued there should be a wholesale leadership change in the face of Tuesday’s sweeping losses.“Last night’s election was far worse than any of us expected. We fought hard and left it all on the field, but clearly, we were unable to defy history,” Scalise told his colleagues in a letter.“This is no doubt a challenging time for our conference, but overcoming adversity is nothing new to me,” he continued. “We will need to be honest with ourselves about what happened, but it is more important now than ever for us to emerge from this stronger and united because the stakes couldn’t be higher.”There is also a battle playing out over the GOP whip spot, the No. 2 leadership job, in the minority.Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX), the chairman of the Republican Study Committee, is challenging Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) for the job.“We started 2025 with a clear mandate, and although there were successes, I believe we left a lot on the table,” Pfluger told his colleagues. “Some circumstances may have been out of our control, but we also missed many opportunities.”Democrats Democrats are also reorienting in Congress as factions within the party vie for party control.On the establishment side in the upper chamber, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is running again to lead his party when it takes the majority in January. Progressives and socialist leaning groups want change, spreading petitions on the matter that have garnered thousands of signatures.Schumer holds notable support within the current Democratic caucus, though there are growing defectors, with nine incoming freshman senators who have either expressed hesitancy or stated outright opposition to him remaining the upper chamber’s leader.Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) are among those in the current Democratic caucus who have suggested they would back a new figure for leadership. Incoming senators who have declined to back Schumer include Abdul el Sayed from Michigan, Troy Jackson from Maine, James Talarico from Texas, Adam Hamilton from Kansas, Annie Andrews from South Carolina, Juliana Stratton from Illinois, Peggy Flanagan from Minnesota, Josh Turek from Iowa, and Chris Pappas from New Hampshire.Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) was floated by el Sayed and others as a viable alternative to Schumer. But Van Hollen has reportedly declined to mount a challenge.In the lower chamber, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) is looking to keep the reins when Democrats take power in January. Jeffries has served two terms as minority leader, and would become the House’s first black speaker if he wins the Jan. 3, 2027 floor vote.“Against all odds, House Democrats were consistently successful in the minority,” Jeffries told colleagues on Wednesday. “We must now deliver the dramatic change the American people are demanding in the majority.”Jeffries is the overwhelming favorite to become speaker and is the sole announced candidate, though Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) has been speculated as a more progressive alternative.Notably, Jeffries has faced criticism from incoming members who are socialist or backed by socialists. Reps.-elect Claire Valdez of New York, Darializa Avila Chevalier of New York, Melat Kiros of Colorado, and William Lawrence of Michigan are among incoming freshmen who have declined to endorse Jeffries as speaker.BLUE WAVE CARRIES SENATE DEMOCRATS BACK INTO POWER FOR FINAL YEARS OF TRUMP PRESIDENCYRep. Katherine Clark (D-MA) is running to remain Democrats’ No. 2 leader in the House.She is currently unopposed and is expected to have an easy path to victory as majority leader in House Democratic leadership elections scheduled for Nov. 18 and 19.