Dozens of Republican National Committee members are urging congressional Republicans to postpone their leadership elections for at least 30 days, arguing that the party must first confront the causes of its sweeping midterm losses.

In a letter shared with POLITICO, 31 RNC members from 21 states and two territories called for an assessment of the November 3 results, a discussion of what went wrong and an opportunity for leadership candidates to explain how they would address the failures.

“There is no way to sugarcoat what happened on Election Day,” they wrote. “From coast to coast, and in some of the reddest parts of the country, Republicans were humiliated.”

The House and Senate Republican conferences are scheduled to elect their leaders Tuesday, with candidate forums set to begin in the morning. The elections appear likely to proceed despite calls for a delay from several senators, including Wisconsin Republican Ron Johnson.

In the House, Speaker Mike Johnson will not return to the top post, leaving Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan competing for the position. In the Senate, John Thune is expected to be reelected as the chamber’s top Republican leader.

The letter reflects discontent within the party after Democrats secured their largest majorities in both chambers in decades. Republicans also face divisions within their ranks and President Donald Trump’s unpopularity with voters.

“Rushing these elections before examining what happened risks protecting the very leaders whose decisions need to be examined,” the RNC members wrote. “Accountability must come before leadership elections.”

Amy Kremer, Georgia’s national committeeperson and a signatory, said party activists and donors deserved more than business as usual. She urged congressional leaders to detail their plans for the lame-duck session, including efforts to pass the SAVE America Act and advance pending confirmations.

The RNC itself faces a leadership contest. Co-chair KC Crosbie told members last week that she would run for chair against Trump-backed Joe Gruters. A day later, Trump praised Gruters on Truth Social, saying he knew the chair would “do an incredible job in 2028.”