Allies of Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., are urging President-elect Trump to publicly reaffirm support for the House GOP leader to avoid a messy, protracted battle that could delay the certification of his own victory. The House lawmakers are returning to Washington, D.C., for a chamber-wide vote to elect the speaker on Friday, Jan. 3, with the House meeting to certify the results of the 2024 election on Monday, Jan. 6.
Johnson is facing a potentially bruising battle to win the speaker’s gavel for a full Congressional term, with several House Republicans vocally critical of the Louisiana Republican and his handling of government funding. His predecessor went through 14 public defeats in his quest to win the gavel, finally securing it after days of negotiations with holdouts on the 15th House-wide vote.
Some House Republicans are now warning that they can afford few delays in what Trump himself said he hopes will be a very active first 100 days of his second term. Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., emphasized the importance of certifying the 2024 election on Jan. 6 to ensure President Trump can take office and hit the ground running on Jan. 20.
Congress narrowly avoided a partial government shutdown by passing a bill to extend the federal funding deadline to March 14, which angered GOP hardliners who opposed the addition of unrelated policy riders. Johnson also faced challenges in heeding Trump’s demand to pair action on the debt limit with the government funding bill.
Despite some House Republicans expressing hesitancy towards Johnson, top Trump allies like Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, have come to Johnson’s defense, highlighting his conservative credentials. The influence of Trump on the final decision regarding Johnson's speakership is seen as significant by many House Republicans.
Johnson will head into the Jan. 3 speaker vote with just a slim GOP margin of three votes and is unlikely to receive Democratic support. The outcome of this internal GOP battle will have implications for the functioning of the House and the implementation of Trump’s agenda in his second term.
