WASHINGTON – The 119th Congress convenes at midday on Friday and on the agenda would be the election of the Home speaker.
Present Speaker Mike Johnson faces a management problem with opposition from a few of his personal GOP colleagues – regardless of backing from President-elect Donald Trump. Johnson was holed up within the Capitol Thursday night, working to sway the hardline holdouts, in keeping with the Related Press.
Congress has been right here earlier than, when it took Republicans almost every week and 15 rounds of voting to elect Kevin McCarthy as speaker in 2023. McCarthy was then dumped by his social gathering, a historic first, however he was additionally a part of an extended listing of GOP audio system chased to early exits.
The stakes are larger this 12 months as Trump prepares to return to the White Home with the Home and Senate in GOP management and promising to ship huge on a 100-day agenda.
FILE – U.S. Speaker of the Home Mike Johnson (R-LA) speaks throughout a media availability on Dec. 5, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Photograph by Andrew Harnik/Getty Pictures)
“He is the one that may win proper now,” Trump mentioned about Johnson at a New 12 months’s Eve social gathering that drew different GOP leaders to his Mar-a-Lago membership in Florida.
Trump endorsed Johnson but in addition mentioned “others are excellent, too,” a nod to “Make America Nice Once more” allies within the president-elect’s orbit.
Trump endorses Home Speaker Mike Johnson
President-elect Donald Trump is endorsing Home Speaker Mike Johnson as he prepares to struggle to maintain his position main Republicans in Congress.
In the meantime, the Senate is ready to convene by itself and has already elected social gathering leaders — Sen. John Thune because the Republican majority chief and Sen. Chuck Schumer for the Democratic minority.
Right here’s what to know:
How the Speaker of the Home vote works
The newly-elected Home should first vote on its speaker – a task required by the Structure and second within the line of succession to the president. It’s a vote that members take even earlier than being sworn into workplace.
Lawmakers name out the identify of their selection for speaker from the ground, a uncommon and time-consuming roll name that heightens the drama on the ground. Members usually enliven the proceedings by shouting or standing when casting their vote.
As soon as the Home is in a quorum — which means the minimal variety of members are current to proceed — nominating speeches can be made on behalf of the nominees for speaker. The clerk appoints lawmakers from every social gathering as tellers to tally the votes earlier than the roll name begins.
To be elected speaker, the candidate should win a majority of votes. Traditionally, the magical quantity has been 218 out of the 435 members of the Home.
However many earlier audio system, together with McCarthy, have gained with fewer votes as a result of members generally vote “current” as an alternative of calling out a reputation. Each lawmaker voting “current” lowers the general tally wanted to achieve a majority.
How a lot assist does Mike Johnson have?
Johnson, of Louisiana, instructions one of many slimmest majorities in fashionable occasions, 220-215, having misplaced seats within the November election. That leaves him counting on nearly each Republican for assist within the face of Democratic opposition.
Heading into Friday, he didn’t have the total assist wanted, in keeping with the AP.
Texas GOP Rep. Chip Roy is among the many most notable holdouts, an unflinching member of the Freedom Caucus who lashed into Republican management’s dealing with of the year-end spending invoice for failing to chop spending and cling to Home guidelines.
“One thing MUST change,” Roy posted on social media. He mentioned he stays undecided on the speaker’s vote for Johnson, however added “my need is to present him grace” in hopes they will ship on the GOP agenda.
One nearly sure onerous no is Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., however different far-right Republicans, together with some who helped topple McCarthy, have saved their views shut.
“There’s a variety of discontent,” mentioned Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., as lawmakers left for the Christmas vacation.
What’s unclear is what different concessions Johnson could make to win assist. Two years in the past, McCarthy handed out prime favors that appeared to solely weaken his maintain on energy.
Already, Johnson has clawed again a type of adjustments, with a brand new Home rule pushed by centrist conservatives that might require at the very least 9 members of the bulk social gathering on any decision to oust the speaker — elevating the brink McCarthy had lowered to only one.
“I feel the holdouts are going to have to comprehend that, hear, Trump is true on a regular basis,” mentioned Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, exiting the speaker’s workplace late Thursday. “Simply know that Trump is true on a regular basis, it’ll assist you decide actual easy.”
In the meantime, Johnson has been working diligently to stop defeat, spending New 12 months’s Day at Mar-a-Lago as he positions himself alongside Trump. The speaker usually portrays himself because the “quarterback” who can be executing the political performs referred to as by the “coach,” the president-elect.
“Now we have to remain unified,” Johnson mentioned on FOX Enterprise late Thursday.
Johnson mentioned he thinks he’ll lose maybe solely a single detractor, and hopes to win the speakership on the primary spherical of balloting. He mentioned he hasn’t but requested Trump to make calls to the holdouts. “My conversations with my colleagues are going nice.”
Trump’s upcoming election certification
Johnson has additionally warned that with no Home speaker there can be a “constitutional disaster” heading into Jan. 6, when Congress by regulation is required to rely the electoral votes for president, weeks earlier than Trump is about to be inaugurated on Jan. 20.
“We have no time to waste, and I feel that everyone acknowledges that,” he mentioned.
The Supply: Data from this story was written primarily based on on-site reporting from the Related Press in Washington, D.C., in addition to info from the U.S. Home of Representatives. It was reported from Cincinnati, and the Related Press contributed.
