House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said there is no time for Republicans to engage in “palace drama” ahead of Friday’s speakership vote, in which he aims to retain the gavel going into the 119th Congress.
Discussion of Johnson having enough votes to keep his position has grown as Friday draws closer, as Republicans only have a very small majority, and the speaker can only afford to lose a couple of votes. As such, Johnson stressed the need for Republicans to stick together and reelect him as speaker, citing the recent New Orleans terrorist attack as proof that the nation is in “very serious times.”
TRUMP AND JOHNSON SEEK UNIFIED FRONT HEADING INTO HIGH-STAKES SPEAKER VOTE
“We cannot afford any palace drama here,” Johnson said on Fox News’s Fox & Friends. “We have got to get the Congress started, which begins tomorrow, and we have to get immediately to work. We have to certify the election of President Donald J. Trump on Jan. 6, on Monday, and we have many important things pressing on us right now. So there’s no time to waste. We have to stay unified.”
Johnson also cited the “mandate” that voters gave to President-elect Donald Trump and the Republican Party, which is how voters want the party to “begin fixing” the government and the issues facing the nation.
When the House speaker was pressed on whether he has enough votes to retain his speakership, Johnson acknowledged that he can only afford to lose “one or two” votes in the confirmation process. However, he added that he has spoken to all his colleagues who have been hesitant to confirm him and that he thinks he will be reelected because Republicans will have a “unified government” with control of the White House, the Senate, and the House of Representatives.
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The most vocal House Republican against Johnson in the confirmation process is Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), who has stated publicly on X that he will not be voting for the House speaker. Other Republicans, including Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA), have warned that opposing Johnson would only delay enacting Trump’s agenda for the country.
Johnson has received the backing and support of Trump ahead of Friday’s vote. The president-elect described the House speaker as “a very wonderful person” that the nation needs and assured that Johnson would get “a successful vote.”