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Your guide to what the 2024 US election means for Washington and the world
Mike Johnson faces a knife-edge vote to keep US House Speaker as top Republicans try to avoid a chaotic start to Donald Trump’s second term in Washington.
Congress The lower part It opens for business at noon on Friday, with the first order of business being the election of a new speaker.
even if JohnsonIn the year The Louisiana lawmaker, who replaced Kevin McCarthy after he was ousted in October 2023, is favored and supported by Donald Trump, and Republicans only have a 219-215 majority, meaning he needs unanimous support for re-election.
Thomas Massey, a Kentucky lawmaker, has vowed to oppose Johnson’s re-election, so one more Republican defector could jeopardize his position, with all Democrats also voting against him.
“Good luck to Speaker Mike Johnson, who is very talented and very close to getting 100% support,” Trump said on Friday on the reality social media platform.
A win for Mack today would be a huge win for the Republican Party.
The election is critical in the short term because the House will need to secure a speaker who can confirm Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election on Monday, paving the way for the Jan. 20 inauguration.
Longer-term, Johnson’s difficulty keeping the speakership could be a bad sign for Trump’s ability to pass his agenda in the House, as it shows some Republicans are willing to give up ambition and defy party discipline.
In early 2023, when McCarthy was elected Speaker after 15 votes and a dramatic negotiation with an audience within his party, the process could drag on for several rounds if Johnson is not elected on the first ballot.
Johnson met with a group of Republicans on Thursday who are undecided about whether to endorse him as speaker — and expressed confidence that he will win them over. “I think tomorrow will go well,” he said.
Other than Massey, no other Republican has said they will oppose him. But dozens of rank-and-file conservatives were furious with Johnson before Christmas Government funding agreement It will require a deal with Democrats to ensure approval.
However, Johnson has remained very close to Trump and his inner circle in recent weeks, coordinating plans to quickly pass major bills through Congress, making it difficult for any Republican to join Mass and block Johnson.
No other candidate has emerged as a contender for Johnson’s speakership, but the Republican’s grievances center on the House Freedom Caucus, which includes some of the most staunch conservatives. Even if Johnson survives a vote as speaker, members of the House Freedom Caucus are expected to remain a thorn in his side as he tries to pass the Trump-backed legislation.
