Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) has threatened to walk out of Tuesday's Senate Republican leadership election, demanding that his colleagues first hold a conference-wide discussion on the party's future after a bruising midterm cycle.
In an interview with the Washington Examiner on Monday, Johnson said he would not participate in the secret-ballot leadership vote if it proceeds as scheduled. "If you hold the election, I'll leave the room," he said. "I'm not going to participate in elections for leadership tomorrow."
The Wisconsin Republican is pushing for a delay, but he will need support from a majority of the Senate GOP conference to postpone the internal elections. His move comes as some conservatives express frustration with Senate Minority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), who is seeking another term as leader when Democrats assume the majority in January.
Johnson, who has previously denied interest in the top job, again brushed aside speculation on Monday that he might challenge Thune. "I don't think so," he told the Examiner. "It's not my intention. I don't want to be leader." Still, he did not definitively rule out a bid.
Johnson framed his request for a conference meeting as a necessary step for accountability, not a personal attack on Thune. "We all like John Thune. We like him, OK?" he said. "I don't want to say anything bad about him, but again, at some point in time, our supporters absolutely believe we have to hold people accountable, and probably are looking for a new face, or new faces."
Thune, for his part, said Monday that he expects a "very engaged conversation" during Tuesday's conference meeting. "We'll see where it goes from there, but, yeah, I'm running for leader, and I think it's important that we have that discussion, and we will," he told Bloomberg.
No other Republican senator has publicly announced a challenge to Thune, but the push to delay the vote is gaining traction. Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) has also urged colleagues to postpone the leadership election as the party grapples with its losses.
Johnson also criticized President Trump's role in the midterm campaign, pointing to the GOP's failure to win key races in red states and its loss of both chambers of Congress. "I think there's plenty of blame to go around," Johnson said. "But I mean, the president was the one out there saying, 'Pretend I'm on the ballot,' and people did, and we see the result."
The internal GOP turmoil is not limited to the Senate. House Republicans are also facing leadership battles as they prepare for minority status, with some members pushing for rule changes and a delay in their own leadership votes. The outcome of these contests could reshape the party's direction heading into the next Congress.
