Centrist House Dems say Mike Johnson is ghosting them
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House Speaker Mike Johnson talks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol on March 5. Photo: Samuel Corum/Getty Images
The centrist House Democrats who House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) may need to avert a government shutdown are lining up against his plan — with many pointedly noting they haven't heard a word from his leadership team.
Why it matters: This isn't a new problem, some Democratic moderates say. "There's been no outreach all year," Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) told Axios.
- Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-Mich.) said it is "very telling" that GOP leadership is trying to get members of the right-wing Freedom Caucus to back the spending measure rather than Democrats.
- "I think that puts some of the moderates — my moderate friends — in a really tough position," she told Axios.
Driving the news: The House is poised to vote Tuesday on what is known as a continuing resolution — a stopgap spending measure to keep the government funded at 2024 levels until September.
- The measure lacks language Democrats had pushed for that would stop the Trump administration from unilaterally cutting congressionally appropriated funding, leading Democratic leadership to whip against it.
- A senior House Democrat told Axios that leadership is "working hard" to ensure no Democrats vote for the measure, "just like" last month's budget vote.
What they're saying: Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) declined to say how he will vote, but said of funding the government, "I think if [Republicans] have the votes to do so without talking to Democrats, then it's their responsibility."
- "If they don't have the votes, then it would be their responsibility to talk to Democrats — which they have not," added Golden, a former co-chair of the centrist Blue Dog Coalition who often breaks with his party on key votes.
- Rep. Adam Gray (D-Calif.), another Blue Dog, told Axios: "I'm a pretty rabid independent … but I have not had anybody from the Republican Party approach me. They seem to be putting together something on their own without input."
Between the lines: Gray and Reps. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) and Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas) — both fellow Blue Dogs — told Axios they are either against Johnson's spending measure or leaning against it.
- A Johnson spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Yes, but: Democrats are bracing for a sudden spurt of GOP calls if the budget bill fails to pass Tuesday.
- "There's been no outreach to us ... my guess is the only way that changes is if [the continuing resolution[ goes down the first time," said Moskowitz.
- He added: "If you look at the bill, they put some things in there to try to garner Republican votes. But will that cost them Democratic votes in the Senate? That's the calculus."
Axios' Hans Nichols contributed reporting for this story.
