Johnson meets with Home Freedom Caucus members together with his speakership in jeopardy
Washington — Home Speaker Mike Johnson on Thursday met with members of the conservative Home Freedom Caucus as his bid for the speakership within the subsequent Congress hangs within the steadiness.
Home members will vote Friday on reelecting the Louisiana Republican as speaker, however it’s unclear whether or not Johnson can have the votes, although no different critical challenger has emerged.
Johnson emerged from the assembly showing assured that he’ll retain the gavel and stated his conversations with conservatives are “going properly.”
“I believe tomorrow goes to go easily,” he predicted, and he informed reporters he has not requested President-elect Donald Trump to name members on his behalf. Johnson met with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida on Wednesday.
A number of conservatives had been seen coming into Johnson’s workplace on the Capitol on Thursday afternoon, together with Home Freedom Caucus Chairman Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland, who has questioned his management.
Johnson’s dealing with of presidency funding might have diminished his standing with the chamber’s far-right members. Harris stated in an interview with Fox Enterprise on Dec. 26 that he was in Johnson’s nook earlier than the funding combat, however members are contemplating “whether or not the present management is what we’d like.”
If Democrats stay united and all members are voting and current on Friday, Johnson can solely lose one Republican vote and nonetheless win the gavel.
Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, says he plans to vote for somebody aside from Johnson.
Others haven’t stated how they will vote, together with Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, who attended Thursday’s assembly. Roy stated Massie made good arguments in opposition to Johnson, however added that it is not all Johnson’s fault.
As he was heading into the assembly with Johnson, Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina stated he wished sure assurances on a lot of points and that he was undecided.
Rep. Victoria Spartz of Indiana, who additionally attended the assembly, stated she would make her choice Friday.
