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Mike Johnson is dealing with a knife-edge vote to maintain his job as Speaker of the US Home of Representatives, as prime Republicans attempt to keep away from a chaotic begin to the second Donald Trump period in Washington.
Congress’s decrease chamber will open for enterprise at midday on Friday, with its first job being the election of a brand new Speaker.
Though Johnson, the Louisiana lawmaker who changed Kevin McCarthy after his ousting in October 2023, stays the favorite and is backed by Donald Trump, Republicans have a majority of simply 219 to 215 members, that means he’ll want near-unanimous assist to be re-elected.
Thomas Massie, a Kentucky lawmaker, has vowed to oppose Johnson’s re-election, so yet one more defection from Republican ranks may jeopardise his place, assuming all Democrats additionally vote towards him.
“Good luck as we speak for Speaker Mike Johnson, a nice man of nice potential, who may be very near having 100% assist,” Trump posted on his Reality Social platform on Friday.
“A win for Mike as we speak will probably be a giant win for the Republican Celebration.”
The vote is essential within the quick time period as a result of the Home might want to have a Speaker in place to certify Trump’s victory within the 2024 presidential election on Monday, paving the way in which for his inauguration on January 20.
Long term, bother for Johnson in conserving the speakership could possibly be a foul signal for Trump’s potential to cross his agenda via the Home, as a result of it could present some Republicans are keen to buck his needs and defy occasion self-discipline.
If Johnson is just not elected on the primary poll on Friday, the method may drag on for a number of rounds, because it did in early 2023 when McCarthy was chosen as Speaker after 15 votes and dramatic negotiations with the holdouts inside his occasion.
Johnson on Thursday met a bunch of Republicans who’ve mentioned they’re undecided on whether or not to assist him as Speaker — and expressed confidence that he would win them over. “I believe tomorrow’s going to go effectively,” he mentioned.
No different Republican in addition to Massie has mentioned they’d vote towards him. However dozens of rank-and-file conservatives have been angered earlier than the Christmas vacation when Johnson proposed a authorities funding deal that required compromise with Democrats to make sure its passage.
Nonetheless, Johnson has stayed very near Trump and his inside circle in current weeks, co-ordinating plans to rapidly cross his prime priorities via Congress, which is able to make it onerous for any Republican to affix Massie and block Johnson.
No different candidate has emerged as a doable rival to Johnson for the speakership, however the Republican discontent is concentrated inside the Home Freedom Caucus, which incorporates essentially the most ardent hardline conservatives. Even when Johnson survives the speakership vote, members of the Home Freedom Caucus are anticipated to stay a thorn in his facet as he tries to cross Trump-backed laws.
