Sunday, January 5, 2025
Home Politics Johnson meets with conservatives as speakership in jeopardy

Johnson meets with conservatives as speakership in jeopardy

by
0 comment

By Caitlin Yilek, Jaala Brown, Emma Nicholson

/ CBS News

Trump endorses Johnson for speaker

Trump endorses Mike Johnson for House speaker days before vote 04:29

Washington — House Speaker Mike Johnson on Thursday met with members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus as his bid for the speakership in the next Congress hangs in the balance. 

House members will vote Friday on reelecting the Louisiana Republican as speaker, but it’s unclear whether Johnson will have the votes, though no other serious challenger has emerged. 

Johnson emerged from the meeting appearing confident that he’ll retain the gavel and said his conversations with conservatives are “going well.” 

“I think tomorrow is going to go smoothly,” he predicted, and he told reporters he has not asked President-elect Donald Trump to call members on his behalf. Johnson met with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Wednesday. 

Several conservatives were seen entering Johnson’s office at the Capitol on Thursday afternoon, including House Freedom Caucus Chairman Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland, who has questioned his leadership. 

Johnson’s handling of government funding may have diminished his standing with the chamber’s far-right members. Harris said in an interview with Fox Business on Dec. 26 that he was in Johnson’s corner before the funding fight, but members are considering “whether the current leadership is what we need.” 

If Democrats remain united and all members are voting and present on Friday, Johnson can only lose one Republican vote and still win the gavel. 

Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, says he plans to vote for someone other than Johnson. 

Others have not said how they’ll vote, including Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, who attended Thursday’s meeting. Roy said Massie made good arguments against Johnson, but added that it’s not all Johnson’s fault. 

As he was heading into the meeting with Johnson, Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina said he wanted certain assurances on a number of issues and that he was undecided. 

Rep. Victoria Spartz of Indiana, who also attended the meeting, said she would make her decision Friday. 

Caitlin Yilek

Caitlin Yilek is a politics reporter at CBSNews.com, based in Washington, D.C. She previously worked for the Washington Examiner and The Hill, and was a member of the 2022 Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellowship with the National Press Foundation.

Twitter

You may also like

Leave a Comment

About Us

Welcome to Janashakti.News, your trusted source for breaking news, insightful analysis, and captivating stories from around the globe. Whether you’re seeking updates on politics, technology, sports, entertainment, or beyond, we deliver timely and reliable coverage to keep you informed and engaged.

@2024 – All Right Reserved – Janashakti.news