Republicans hold leadership elections as they brace for life in the congressional minority

The US midterm elections have redrawn Washington's balance of power, breaking Republican control of Congress. With Democrats taking charge of both chambers in January - at least 54 of the Senate's 100 seats and at least 254 of the House's 435 voting seats - Republicans in both chambers hold internal elections on Tuesday to choose party leaders for the final two years of Donald Trump's presidency, with minority leader, minority whip and conference chair among the contested posts.

The biggest House contest is for minority leader, where longtime rivals Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Jim Jordan of Ohio are competing. Scalise, who has held senior leadership posts for over a decade, including majority whip from 2014 to 2018 and minority whip from 2019 to 2022, presents himself as an experienced hand to guide Republicans through minority life. Jordan, a founding member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus and a close Trump ally, campaigns on a more confrontational approach; in a letter to colleagues he called himself 'battle-tested' and argued he could best coordinate the party's response to Democratic investigations of the Trump administration.

For minority whip, current majority whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota faces August Pfluger of Texas. Emmer concedes the scale of the midterm losses but argues Republicans must stay united; Pfluger, chair of the Republican Study Committee, says the party needs 'fresh ideas' and a clear strategy to retake the House in 2028.

In the Senate, majority leader John Thune of South Dakota has no announced challenger as he seeks to stay party leader, a post that becomes minority leader once Democrats take control. But Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin wants the votes postponed, telling one report: 'We don't need to rush. This is a time for reflection, not immediate decisions.' Senators including Mike Lee of Utah back him.

Mike Johnson will lose the House speakership when Democrats take control in January, since the speaker customarily comes from the majority party. He has ruled out running for minority leader, clearing the way for Scalise and Jordan, but will stay in Congress for his Louisiana district.

Tuesday's votes decide who leads the Republican minority against Democratic control of Congress, and test whether the party keeps backing Trump's agenda or rethinks its approach.