President-elect Donald Trump’s legislative agenda will meet its first hurdles Friday afternoon, as Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., vies to stay on as House speaker with a narrow Republican majority. The Louisiana representative, who emerged from obscurity after the overthrow of Rep. Kevin McCarthy as speaker, has warned that if he is not reelected, Trump’s legislative agenda will be put in peril.
Although Trump has endorsed Mike Johnson, libertarian firebrand Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., has already promised not to vote for Johnson’s reelection as speaker. If Johnson loses one more Republican vote, Trump may have to contend with a dysfunctional House upon his inauguration.
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky.
Massie is the only hard no on Johnson’s re-election so far, telling former Rep. Matt Gaetz Thursday, “you can pull all my fingernails out” before he votes for the Louisiana congressman as speaker. Massie, a Tea Party firebrand, has long opposed Johnson as Speaker, citing Johnson’s support aid to Ukraine and Israel, as well as his compromises on Democrat-backed spending bills.
Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind.
Also a Tea Party veteran, Spartz has repeatedly signaled her hesitance to elect Johnson. Although Spartz has not ruled out voting for Johnson, the Ukrainian-born representative has demanded that Johnson commit to more transparency and audits in federal spending. With a reputation as a “budget hawk,” Spartz told Steve Bannon in December that she “cannot vote” for Johnson if he does not commit to her proposed changes in the budget process.
Chip Roy, R-TX
A self-described “friend” of Massie and Spartz and policy chair of the House Freedom Caucus, Roy has become a headache for Trump and Johnson. Although he remains uncommitted, Roy has already gone on record saying he doesn’t believe Johnson has enough votes to become speaker. A budget hawk much like Massie and Spartz, Roy voted against the GOP’s spending package, voicing his opposition to the raising of the debt ceiling.
Scott Perry, R-Pa.
Perry has also made no clear indication of how he will vote, telling Fox, “I’m going to keep my options open. I want to have a conversation with Mike.” As chair of the House Freedom Caucus, Scott Perry has butted heads with the GOP establishment, rejecting Johnson’s push to provide aid for the Ukrainian and Israeli war efforts.
Rep. Timothy Burchett, R-Tenn.
Burchett recently expressed confidence that Johnson would prevail in his bid, but stated he would decide his vote the day of the election. “I’ll talk to Mike some and maybe President Trump even, and discuss some ideas and issues that I have,” Burchett noted.
Rep. Joshua Breechen, R-Okla..
Breechen has said in the past that he remains undecided about supporting Mike Johnson. Breechen was the only member of the Oklahoma delegation that opposed the $110 billion spending bill for hurricane victims and farmers. His objection to the bill came even as President-elect Trump charged Republican lawmakers who opposed the spending package as “Republican obstructionists [that] have to be done away with.”
Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md.
Harris, who chairs the House Freedom Caucus, told Newsmax that he would need to see “some changes in the procedure and how we are dealing with things in the House,” as a condition for supporting Mike Johnson. Rep. Harris pointed to the wide-ranging hurricane recovery and farm relief spending bill as an example of fiscal irresponsibility that requires better leadership.
Rep. Andy Briggs, R-Ariz.
The Arizona congressman was instrumental in voting to oust former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. He was one of eight Republicans who joined with the Democratic opposition to remove McCarthy in October 2023. According to one of Briggs’s aides he has “not made any public or private commitments on Speaker Johnson.”
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio
Jordan has been suggested by some of his peers as a possible alternative to Johnson should the Louisiana congressman’s bid to keep the speakership fail. Jordan’s candidacy would face an upward battle after the October 2023 speaker’s race led to bad blood with more moderate members of the party.
Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas
Although Rep. Troy Nehls has not publicly committed to voting for Johnson, the Trump loyalist appears the most likely of the uncommitted representatives to follow Donald Trump’s endorsement. Nehls told the press of Johnson’s re-election, “I think the holdouts are going to have to realize that, listen, Trump is right all the time.”
If Johnson prevails Friday afternoon, it will solidify his status as a shrewd survivor of the political gauntlet and place him in his desired position as “quarterback” of Trump’s legislative gameplan.
This article was originally published at www.dailysignal.com
