The first big decision the new House of Representatives has to make: Whether or not Speaker Mike Johnson will retain his speakership. Johnson can only afford to lose one Republican vote to secure the speakership, and crucial members of the Republican House spoke to The Daily Signal as they entered the chamber Friday afternoon.
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., has already ruled out voting for the Louisiana congressman. Massie’s stubbornness sets him apart from the majority of his Republican colleagues, who told The Daily Signal that the GOP cannot afford a dysfunctional congress as it pushes forward President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda.
Amid more potential opposition, Johnson announced several concessions going in to the 119th Congress to shore up his right flank in an X post. Johnson promised to appoint a working group to assist in the Department of Government Efficiency’s efforts by thoroughly auditing federal agencies and entities created by Congress.
Furthermore, Johnson said he will “Request House committees undertake aggressive authorizations and appropriations reviews, including providing additional resources where needed, to expose irresponsible or illegal practices and hold agencies/individuals accountable that have weaponized government against the American people.”
The concessions seemed to move one potential holdout, Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., to Johnson’s side. “I appreciate @SpeakerJohnson’s public commitment to the American people to deliver on President Trump’s agenda and drain the swamp,” she said in reply to Johnson’s concessions.
Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Mich., said conservative members of the House should join him in supporting Johnson’s reelection, as the only alternative is needless confusion.
“We do not need to cast more chaos as we’re going into a new Trump administration,” Huizenga told The Daily Signal.
Huizenga said voting for Johnson is about supporting the Trump agenda, as Trump endorsed Johnson on Monday. Voting for Johnson “is about supporting the greater Trump agenda, in my mind, and let’s move forward,” Huizenga said.
Trump gave Johnson his endorsement on social media, bolstering the position of Louisiana representative who emerged from obscurity after the overthrow of Rep. Kevin McCarthy as speaker. Trump has warned that if Johnson is not reelected, his legislative agenda could be derailed.
Trump wrote on Truth Social: “He will do the right thing, and we will continue to WIN. Mike has my Complete & Total Endorsement.”
Huizenga echoed Trump’s appraisal of Johnson’s competence, telling The Daily Signal, “We have to have a functional house.”
Many of Johnson’s potential objectors are aligned with the House Freedom Caucus. But Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., told The Daily Signal, “I don’t think there’ll be any issues with the Freedom Caucus,” after Johnson’s concessions.
Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, who rejected a recent GOP spending package, has floated the idea of voting for Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, instead of Johnson—a decision that could imperil the GOP’s legislative agenda.
But Jordan himself says he stands with Johnson.
Jordan told The Daily Signal, “Mike’s a conservative guy, man of principle, integrity, character and a hard worker. So those are all good. Plus, we got to get after dealing with the issues the American people spoke loudly and clearly about on election day, and the best way to do that is get Mike in the speaker and move forward.”
The speaker election is yet another test of Trump’s sway over the GOP’s narrow House majority as Trump prepares to push forward early legislation on his key issues of trade, immigration, and tax policy.
