House Majority Leader Steve Scalise says he has not decided whether to serve full term after losing minority leader vote

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, the second-ranking Republican in the House, told reporters Wednesday that he has not made a decision about serving a full term in the upcoming 120th Congress.

> "There’s no decision on what’s next," Scalise said. > "I’ve got to get through these next few weeks, and then we have a lot of decisions to make about what's life going to look like in the minority. But I still have a great passion for this country."

Scalise’s comments came after he was defeated by Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio in the Republican caucus vote for minority leader, a 106-73 margin. The loss means Scalise must decide whether to retire or remain in Congress as a rank-and-file member once Democrats assume the House majority in January.

He emphasized that his immediate focus remains on advancing GOP priorities during the remaining lame-duck session. > "There’s a lot more for us to do. We have a few weeks left in the lame-duck session and, frankly, a few big, big issues ahead. I want to see us do as much as we possibly can while we still have this majority," Scalize said. > "I’ve got a lot more gas in the tank. Obviously, all of us know there’s some real change coming in January. We still have work to do right now."

Scalise, first elected in 2008 and a member of Republican leadership since 2014, previously served as House whip under Speakers John Boehner and Paul Ryan. He became majority leader in 2023 after Republicans regained control of the House, and later supported Speaker Mike Johnson following Kevin McCarthy’s removal. When asked about his recent bid for the speakership, Scalise said he had no regrets.

The 120th Congress is scheduled to convene on Jan. 3, 2027.