Mike Johnson faces Jan. 3 "hostage taking" from GOP hardliners
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House Speaker Mike Johnson at the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 19, 2024. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is staring down a potential repeat of what his predecessor had to go through two years earlier: A multi-ballot slog to attain the speaker's gavel.
Why it matters: Like former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Johnson could be forced to swallow unsavory demands from his right flank in exchange for their acquiescence.
- One House Republican, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe sensitive internal dynamics, said there will be "a short-term hostage taking that [Johnson] will navigate."
- "Not sure if they deny the first vote or he will be forced to negotiate prior. I think there are 4-8 ready to hold out at least until the vote," the lawmaker said.
State of play: Johnson is set to come in with a 219-215 majority when the House meets to elect a speaker on Jan. 3, giving him a likely buffer of just one vote.
- So far only one House Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), has said straightforwardly that he plans to vote for an alternative to Johnson.
- Democrats have signaled that they won't rescue Johnson and plan to stay firmly behind House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.).
Zoom in: Aside from Massie, numerous House Republicans — mostly hardline conservatives — have said they are undecided on whether to vote for Johnson.
- Freedom Caucus chair Andy Harris (R-Md.) said in a Fox News interview last week that Republicans "need to consider, if we're going to advance Trump's agenda, whether the current leadership is what we need."
- Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.), who preceded Harris as Freedom Caucus chair, said on Fox Business last week that he is going to "keep his options open."
Between the lines: Some of Johnson's potential detractors, incensed over the government spending fight earlier this month, are already making clear that they have demands for the incumbent speaker.
- Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) released a statement Monday demanding the Johnson publicly commit to fiscal restraints such as spending audits and offsets for Republicans' planned reconciliation legislation.
- Harris said on Fox: "We're working with the speaker's office to change the way things are done. ... We'll see if those commitments can be made."
- "If they can't," he added, Jan. 3 "will be a long day."
The other side: Some House Republicans are pushing back on the idea of a contested speaker ballot — warning it could interfere with the certification of Trump's victory on Jan. 6.
- "The fact is that these folks are playing with fire. And if they think they're somehow going to get a more conservative speaker, they're kidding themselves," Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) said on ABC News' "This Week".
- Lawler, a centrist who upbraided Johnson in a closed-door meeting earlier this month for his handling of the spending fight, added that "to waste time over a nonsensical intramural food fight is a joke."
What to watch: President-elect Trump's endorsement is expected to be paramount for Johnson to secure the gavel.
- Like Johnson's GOP hardliners, Trump is reportedly miffed at the speaker over his handling of the government funding fight and is demanding that Congress pass a debt ceiling increase before Jan. 20.
- Still, Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), another Johnson undecided, told Axios he expects that "Trump will come out for him ... soon."
- Burchett predicted "they will be together on New Years," but that the announcement will come "before then."
Yes, but: The House Republican who spoke anonymously told Axios that even that may not be enough to give Johnson a clean victory.
- The lawmaker predicted that "2 or 3 will still hold out for a bit," although "he will make it through."
- Spokespeople for Johnson and Trump did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
