It’s not looking good for House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).
Texas Congressman Chip Roy predicted on New Year’s Eve that Johnson would not muster the needed support to reclaim the Speaker’s gavel
“I remain undecided, as do a number of my colleagues, because we saw so many of the failures last year that we are concerned about that might limit or inhibit our ability to advance the President’s agenda,” Roy told Fox Business’ Ashley Webster on Tuesday morning. “Right now, I don’t believe that he has the votes on Friday, and I think we need to have the conference get together so that we can get united.”
The House is slated to vote to select a speaker for the upcoming Congress on Friday. Given the Republican majority’s slim margins, Johnson can afford to lose only one GOP vote, assuming every representative is in attendance.
Roy’s comments claiming Johnson does not have enough support from the House Republican conference to keep the speaker’s gavel follow Trump’s endorsement of Johnson in a Truth Social post on Monday.
“The American people need IMMEDIATE relief from all of the destructive policies of the last Administration. Speaker Mike Johnson is a good, hard working, religious man. He will do the right thing, and we will continue to WIN,” Trump wrote. “Mike has my Complete & Total Endorsement. MAGA!!!”
Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, who committed to voting against Johnson’s speakership bid on Dec. 18, is currently the only House Republican who has openly refused to support Johnson.
