House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) remains in a precarious position as he faces a Jan. 3 vote to retain his gavel, despite receiving a critical endorsement from President-elect Donald Trump. The upcoming speaker election will serve as an early litmus test of both Johnson’s ability to unify his party and Trump’s influence over House Republicans.
As the Tampa Free Press reported, Trump took to Truth Social on Monday, embracing Johnson.
“We are the Party of COMMON SENSE,” Trump wrote. “Speaker Mike Johnson is a good, hard-working, religious man. He will do the right thing, and we will continue to WIN. Mike has my Complete & Total Endorsement. MAGA!!!”
The endorsement was seen as a significant boost for Johnson, who has faced weeks of criticism from hardline conservatives for passing a bipartisan government funding bill.
READ: Former Florida Rep. Gaetz Says Trump’s Backing Of Speaker Johnson Is “The Art Of The Deal”
Trump himself has expressed frustration with Johnson for not including a debt limit increase in the legislation — a priority Trump continues to push before his inauguration on Jan. 20.
Johnson’s path to retaining the speakership is razor thin. When the House reconvenes on Jan. 3, Republicans are expected to hold a slim 219-215 majority, leaving Johnson with little room for dissent. He can afford to lose only one GOP vote, and several undecided members remain unconvinced by Trump’s endorsement.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), the only House Republican to publicly oppose Johnson so far, dismissed Trump’s backing, saying on X: “I respect and support President Trump, but his endorsement of Mike Johnson is going to work out about as well as his endorsement of Speaker Paul Ryan.”
Massie added, “For months Democrats ignored the fact that Joe Biden was a potato. They convinced themselves that keeping him around was the pragmatic way to win the day. Too late did they admit the emperor had no clothes. Republicans are doing the same thing by keeping Speaker Mike Johnson.”
READ: GOP Lawmakers Float House Speaker Johnson’s Replacement With ‘DOGE Speaker’
Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-IN) reiterated her demand for assurances on reducing government spending, saying on X, “I understand why President Trump is endorsing Speaker Johnson as he did Speaker Ryan, which is definitely important. However, we still need to get assurances that @SpeakerJohnson won’t sell us out to the swamp.”
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), a leading member of the House Freedom Caucus, has made no commitments to back Johnson.
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) called himself “undecided,” noting that Trump’s endorsement is a major factor but not yet decisive.
Trump’s endorsement did sway some Republicans, including Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX) and Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK), both of whom announced their support for Johnson on Monday.
READ: US House Speaker Mike Johnson Faces Battle Amid Congressional Turmoil, Trump’s Return To White House
However, with the party’s right flank still fractured, Johnson must work over the next several days to secure the remaining undecided votes. Sources close to Johnson say he is actively reaching out to lawmakers, addressing their concerns, and making concessions on spending priorities and procedural changes to win over holdouts.
While Trump commands deep loyalty within the GOP, his track record of influencing legislative dynamics has been a mixed bag.
His support for former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) in 2023 did little to quell opposition from right-wing Republicans, leading to McCarthy’s prolonged battle to secure the speakership after 15 ballots and this just last week, 38 Republicans defied Trump’s demands to support a combined spending and debt limit bill, highlighting the challenges he faces in rallying the party’s more conservative members.
As the clock ticks toward Jan. 3, Johnson’s team is focused on addressing the demands of undecided lawmakers, many of whom are pushing for guarantees on reduced government spending and a commitment to avoid bipartisan deal-making.
The vote will not only determine Johnson’s fate as House Speaker but also offer an early glimpse into the dynamics between Trump and congressional Republicans as the president-elect prepares to take office.
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