Mike Johnson initially got here up quick in his bid to stay speaker on the primary poll, however his allies are optimistic they’ll flip a few of the three GOP votes towards him in subsequent ballots.
“I’m assured once you go to mattress tonight, we are going to know who the following speaker is, and I am assured that that speaker can be Mike Johnson,” stated Rep. Mike Flood (R-Neb.).
“There’s an lively effort to get this wrapped up right this moment,” he added.
Reps. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Keith Self (R-Texas) voted towards Johnson within the alphabetical roll name vote. Johnson can solely afford to have one Republican vote for another person and nonetheless reclaim the gavel, which means he must flip not less than two of these members and never lose some other help. Massie has been adamant for weeks that he won’t again the Louisiana Republican.
A couple of dozen different Republicans who have been undecided going into the vote opted to again Johnson. Six of them have been silent in the course of the preliminary roll name however later voted for Johnson: Reps. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Michael Cloud (Texas), Andy Harris (Md.), Andrew Clyde (Ga.), Chip Roy (Texas) and Paul Gosar (Ariz.).
Flood steered that 9 Republicans opposing or not initially supporting Johnson was meant to ship a “message” to Johnson. Underneath the brand new guidelines proposed for this Congress, it might take 9 members to pressure a vote to oust a speaker.
“I feel it’s fascinating that precisely 9 members, in a technique or one other, raised an objection right this moment,” Flood stated.
Technically, the vote remains to be open and members can change their votes. As soon as the vote is formally closed, the Home has to both instantly begin voting on a speaker once more or go right into a recess, as a result of how the chamber operates with out a chief.
Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and different Johnson allies try to barter with GOP holdouts. One Republican lawmaker, granted anonymity to talk about personal conversations, stated the continued discussions middle on potential verbal commitments on plans for spending cuts and different “course of adjustments.”
Rep. Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.) stated Freedom Caucus members are elevating “course of considerations” stemming from final month’s funding combat, however past that the group as an entire hasn’t given them one other “exhausting and quick” subject.
Johnson has waged an aggressive stress marketing campaign to attempt to earn the help of a number of conservatives who have been publicly undecided headed into the vote. President-elect Donald Trump has repeatedly endorsed Johnson, together with most just lately on Friday morning. He’s additionally indicated to members that he can be sad if a speakership combat delayed his agenda.
Balloting will proceed till a speaker is elected, however the chamber is basically frozen till then. If members don’t wrap up voting by Monday, it may complicate efforts to formally certify Trump’s presidential win.
Democrats hung collectively to disclaim Johnson a lifeline, with all of them voting for Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries.
Meredith Lee Hill contributed to this report.
