Washington (AP) – This time was supposed to be different, but House Speaker Mike Johnson’s relatively swift victory was not a unifying moment. The tumult of the day laid bare that he retains only tenuous support from hard-line conservatives who gave him their votes for now, but stand ready to dispatch him just as they did McCarthy if their demands aren’t met.
Rep. Ralph Norman, a South Carolina Republican, said “Is he going to fight?” as he initially opposed Johnson but changed his vote. Republicans are relishing the moment as they take unified control of Washington and rally around President-elect Donald Trump. However, the elements that made for a turbulent House the past two years remain in place, except the stakes are higher now as Republicans try to deliver on Trump’s agenda.
House Republicans took shots at each other on TV and argued on the House floor, and even after Johnson’s victory, some GOP lawmakers openly discussed what might trigger his removal. At one point, it seemed things might get worse, but after an hour of uncertainty and tense negotiations, two of the three Republicans who initially denied Johnson the speakership changed their votes to give him the majority he needed.
Norman said it was not Trump’s call that changed his mind, but the fact that Johnson vowed to “fight for everything going forward.” Johnson has the difficult task of leading a Republican majority that will be even slimmer than it was in the last Congress, potentially down to a single vote.
Johnson’s first speech after winning the speaker’s gavel argued that Republicans are now empowered by a “groundswell of Americans” who want an end to the status quo in Washington. However, making matters more difficult, even if Johnson manages to unite his conference in the House, most legislation will still need at least some Democratic support in the Senate, where the chamber’s filibuster rules prevent most bills from advancing unless they have support from at least 60 senators.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said, “He’s got a really, really tough job.” The House Freedom Caucus released a letter signed by 11 members demanding that Johnson deliver ambitious policy goals, including enacting permanent border security changes, making aggressive federal spending cuts, and banning members of Congress from stock trading.