Election 2026 live results: Vance says 'obvious' reason Republicans lost is Iran war

Republican Rep. Steve Scalise formally launched his bid to serve as House minority leader, according to a letter sent to colleagues on Wednesday.

"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. Despite all we accomplished together, we will now find ourselves in the minority along with losing some incredible friends and public servants. This is no doubt a challenging time for our conference, but overcoming adversity is nothing new to me,” Scalise wrote in a five-page letter.

Scalise said House Republicans “must be the first in line of defense in this crucial battle” against the Democrats.

“We must fight like our way of life depends on it -- because it does,” Scalise wrote.

Scalise said he is “ready” to lead the conference and “chart our path back to the majority.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Wednesday that he would not run for House minority leader.

Scalise will run against GOP Rep. Jim Jordan, who announced he would run to lead the conference earlier Wednesday.

-ABC News' Lauren Peller

The 2026 midterm elections resulted in a number of historic firsts, particularly for female candidates running for governor and in U.S. House and Senate races.

Across the country, voters in 17 states elected a female governor on Tuesday, setting a new record, according to Rutgers University's Center for American Women and Politics.

In Georgia, Democratic candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms is projected to win, making her the state's first-ever female governor and the nation's first-ever Black female governor. In Tennessee, Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn's projected win will make her the first woman to win a gubernatorial race in the state, while Democrat Amy Acton's projected win will make her the first woman elected governor in Ohio.

Read more.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer celebrated the flip in control of Congress once again, largely summarizing last night's victories while dodging many specific questions about their plans for the next Congress.

Asked by ABC News’ Jay O’Brien if he can work with President Donald Trump, Schumer said, "We are going to work hard. We are going to work hard to drive costs down with the president or without him. Period."

He added that he has not spoken with President Trump yet.

As House and Senate Democrats continue to tease subpoenas and impeachment inquiries into the administration, Schumer vowed that Democrats would not neglect affordability issues while working to hold the administration accountable.

“There was such rampant corruption. There has to be some investigations. But we're not going to take our eye off the ball. No. 1, reducing costs, ending corruption.”

"Whenever Trump defies the will of the American people or the law, we will launch investigations, take him to court, and entangle him in legislative razor wire. The days of Trump's supplicant Senate are over."

-ABC News' Lalee Ibssa

In a letter to colleagues on Wednesday, Speaker Mike Johnson explained his decision to step aside from leading the House GOP conference and to not run for minority leader, pointing to the toll the job has taken on his family.

“After much prayer and thoughtful consideration, I have decided that I will not be a candidate for a leadership position in the 120th Congress,” Johnson wrote in the letter, obtained by ABC News.

The letter comes just hours after House Republicans suffered deep losses Tuesday night.

“This was not an easy decision," Johnson said.

He went on to say that "the demands of serving in leadership are immense, and they require sacrifices not only from those entrusted with the responsibility, but also from the families who support them."

"My wife Kelly and our four children have made those sacrifices with extraordinary patience, grace, and love. After three years in this role, I believe the time has come for me to give them more of the attention and presence they so richly deserve,” Johnson wrote.

-ABC News' Lauren Peller