House speaker Mike Johnson faces crucial Friday vote as support in doubt

Mike Johnson’s grip on the House speakership faces a crucial test on Friday, as mounting opposition from within his own Republican party threatens to derail his re-election bid, despite receiving an endorsement from President-elect Donald Trump.

With Republicans holding a razor-thin 219-215 majority in the House, Johnson can only afford to lose one vote – a threshold already reached after the Kentucky representative Thomas Massie publicly declared his intention to vote against the incumbent speaker.

The 52-year-old Johnson, who ascended to the speakership weeks after the historic ousting of the California Republican Kevin McCarthy last year, finds himself caught between appeasing hardline conservatives and maintaining functional governance.

His decisions to work with Democrats across the aisle for billions in Ukraine aid in the spring and on recent short-term government funding in December have simultaneously bothered both the party’s libertarian and right flank.

“I don’t know how to say this without cussing,” Massie told reporters when asked about supporting Johnson. “If they thought I had no Fs to give before, I definitely have no Fs to give now.”

Johnson had been able to secure and hold on to his position because Democrats backed him following McCarthy’s ouster. But should Johnson fail to secure a majority on the first ballot this time around, the House would again be thrown into a state of paralysis until a speaker is elected, as no other business can proceed without one.

The brewing rebellion is holding fast even with Trump’s intervention. Despite offering his “Complete & Total Endorsement” of Johnson on Truth Social on Monday, and describing him as a “good, hard working, religious man”, the backing appears to have done little to cool general dissent among Republican holdouts.

While Trump was able to sway some Republicans, like one-time skeptic Texas representative Troy Nehls, other prominent noncommittal Republicans remain, including the Arizona representative Andy Biggs, Pennsylvania’s Scott Perry and Chip Roy of Texas.

The chair of the hard-right House Freedom caucus, Andy Harris of Maryland, and Tennessee representative Tim Burchett are also still undecided, according to Axios. And notably silent is the Colorado Republican Lauren Boebert, who last May reasoned that “it makes no difference to me” who becomes House speaker because, she said, Democrats get their agenda passed in either scenario.

The Indiana Republican Victoria Spartz demanded “assurances [Johnson] won’t sell us out to the swamp” in a post on X before pledging her support. The South Carolina Republican Ralph Norman echoed that sentiment, telling Axios a growing number of Republicans were asking for promises on spending cuts.

The situation eerily mirrors the chaos that engulfed the House last October, when McCarthy’s removal led to weeks of Republican infighting before Johnson emerged as a compromise candidate. Some moderate Republicans warn that opposing Johnson could strengthen the position of the Democratic leader, Hakeem Jeffries, position and potentially disrupt the upcoming electoral college certification.

The Nebraska Republican Don Bacon told CNN that opposition to Johnson “weakens the GOP and strengthens Hakeem Jeffries”, describing the holdouts as a “fifth column” for the Democrats.

Amid the backlash, Johnson’s team has reportedly been working behind the scenes over the holiday break, conducting calls with various Republican factions in an attempt to shore up support, according to Axios.

But even with attempted inroads, a Trump endorsement and the threat of a frozen House have not been able to sway Massie.

“For months Democrats ignored the fact that Joe Biden was a potato,” Massie posted on X. “They convinced themselves that keeping him around was the pragmatic way to win the day … Republicans are doing the same thing by keeping Speaker Mike Johnson.”

The speaker vote will be the first order of business when the new House convenes, with members required to cast their votes before being sworn in.