Republican Rep. Chip Roy stated Tuesday that he doesn’t suppose Home Speaker Mike Johnson has the required votes to stay speaker in Friday’s management election.
“Proper now, I do not imagine that he has the votes on Friday, and I believe we have to have the convention get collectively so we are able to get united,” Roy instructed Fox Enterprise.
The speaker vote comes after quite a few Home Republicans grew annoyed with Johnson in the course of the remaining days of the 118th Congress, which noticed a bitter struggle over spending that almost brought on a authorities shutdown earlier than Christmas.
Roy is a member of the conservative Home Freedom Caucus whose chair, Rep. Andy Harris, has additionally stated he’s undecided on whether or not to assist Johnson. They’re amongst 15 Home Republicans by ABC Information’ rely who’re undecided on whether or not they’ll vote for Johnson.
Speaker of the Home Mike Johnson talks to reporters after passing the funding invoice to avert the federal government shutdown on the Capitol in Washington, Dec. 20, 2024.
Jose Luis Magana/AP
Relying on attendance throughout Friday’s vote, Johnson could solely have the ability to afford to lose a single Republican vote to win the gavel.
The latest resignation of former Rep. Matt Gaetz will depart the Home with 434 members — 219 Republicans and 215 Democrats.
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky has already stated he will not assist Johnson, even after Monday’s endorsement from President-elect Donald Trump. GOP Rep. Victoria Spartz of Indiana and quite a few different members have additionally expressed skepticism about Johnson.
“Victoria is an effective pal and Thomas is an effective pal and so they elevate affordable considerations,” Roy instructed Fox. “I stay undecided as do quite a few my colleagues as a result of we noticed so lots of the failures final yr that we’re involved about that may restrict or inhibit our capability to advance the president’s agenda.”
Roy expressed concern in regards to the occasions that unfolded on Capitol Hill within the week main as much as Christmas, together with the unique authorities funding invoice that was torpedoed by Trump and his allies.
Billionaire Elon Musk, who was tapped by Trump to run the brand new non-public advisory “Division of Authorities Effectivity,” initially trashed a bipartisan funding invoice that may have averted a shutdown in a publish on X because the Home ready to vote. Trump later issued an announcement opposing the invoice and demanding that it embrace provisions to both elevate or get rid of the nation’s debt ceiling earlier than his inauguration on Jan. 20.
The bipartisan invoice in the end failed. A invoice that included Trump’s debt ceiling calls for additionally failed. A 3rd try that included $100 billion for catastrophe help, $30 billion for farmers and a one-year extension of the farm invoice, provisions that have been within the unique measure, handed within the Home on the eleventh hour and 38 minutes previous the deadline within the Senate.
The push to get a invoice handed earlier than the deadline brought on Johnson to forgo the rule that permits members 72 hours to learn laws earlier than a vote.
Trump endorsed Johnson on Monday, saying “Speaker Mike Johnson is an effective, laborious working, non secular man,” Trump wrote on the finish of a prolonged social media publish. “He’ll do the proper factor, and we’ll proceed to WIN. Mike has my Full & Whole Endorsement.”
Musk on Monday additionally backed Johnson, writing on X, “I really feel the identical method! You’ve my full assist.”
However that appears to have completed little to ease Roy’s considerations.
“I respect like Thomas that President Trump helps Mike, he is an excellent pal, however let’s think about what occurred the week earlier than Christmas,” Roy stated.
Roy stated the Republican convention must get on the identical web page earlier than Friday.
“What we have to do is unite round a plan to ship for the president. Proper now I don’t imagine that the convention has that,” Roy stated.
Spartz stated Monday a few of her GOP colleagues have an interest within the speaker’s gavel, however she wouldn’t reveal which members as a result of they don’t wish to publicly oppose Johnson.
