Mike Johnson (R-LA) has gained Donald Trump’s endorsement for Speaker of the House with the President-elect describing him as a “a good, hard working, religious man” who “will do the right thing.”
But as the 119th Congress convenes, an internal struggle within the GOP continues with a handful of conservative members of Congress refusing to commit to keeping Johnson as Speaker due to multiple failures of the 118th Congress under his House leadership.
An unsigned letter being circulated by Johnson’s critics outlines a number of specific missteps, including adding billions to the national debt, funneling support to Ukraine without the support of the GOP majority, reauthorizing warrantless spying on Americans and the way the latest government spending bill was handled just before Christmas.
The letter warns that the historic mandate granted to President Trump and Republicans must be delivered upon for the American people must not be jeopardized by less than competent leadership in the House.
SCOOP: A group of conservatives and potential opposition votes against Speaker Mike Johnson are circulating a document laying out a “scorecard” that lists multiple failures of the 118th Congress.
While the author remains unnamed, it hits the talking points being shared by… pic.twitter.com/nfoaAVTJs5
— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) January 3, 2025
The list of failures in the 118th Congress closely mirrors concerns expressed by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) who have questioned whether Johnson has the leadership to capitalize on the opportunity that has been handed to the GOP.
Massie had been previously been called a “third rate grandstander” by Trump for opposing the massive $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act in 2020, while former House Speaker Newt Gingrich warned that opposition to Johnson may “risk crippling Trump’s win” by delaying certification of the 2024 election.
Massie addressed Gingrich’s concerns head on in a point by point explanation he shared on X, warning that Johnson became Speaker by simply being the least objectionable candidate–a title which he no longer holds.
Challenge accepted.
First let me note that the “vote for Mike” camp is not trying to make the case that Mike Johnson is endowed with the qualities necessary to lead our conference. Even you have limited yourself here to procedural justifications for his speakership rather than…
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) December 31, 2024
Regarding concerns that failure to elect Johnson as Speaker could delay certification of the election, Massie replied that this claim was a scare tactic and that, “There is no legal or parliamentary argument for nullifying the national election if a speaker is not in place on January 6th.”
GOP leadership must decide whether it’s better to pragmatically plow forward in spite of Johnson’s documented failures as Speaker or to find a better candidate to lead the House even if it means defying Trump.
Start the discussion at community.amgreatness.com