Mike Johnson has been holding talks with Republican hardliners who stand by his side with a series of demands ahead of Friday’s crucial vote to elect the next speaker.
But unlike Kevin McCarthy, who won the gavel in 2023 after a marathon 15-vote race, Mr Johnson has resisted cutting side deals to secure the Speaker’s seat. his allies say.
A source close to the leadership told CNN that the chairman “has no intention of negotiating or making behind-the-scenes deals.”
It remains to be seen whether that stance will change, as Mr Johnson’s supporters remain uncertain whether he will win the chair in Friday’s first vote. If the deal needs to be cut, many of those decisions will be made after vote counting begins and the chair and his team have a clear idea of which Republicans are withholding support.
So far, Thomas Massie is the only Republican to express opposition to Johnson, and assuming all House members present support a particular candidate, no more Republicans will be able to vote against him. I can’t afford to lose it. But while some members of Congress, such as Rep. Chip Roy and Rep. Victoria Spartz, have expressed serious reservations, a small number of others remain steadfast.
If Mr Johnson does not win on the first vote, the House of Commons could proceed to a second vote shortly after. If Mr Johnson fails again in a second vote, it is unclear whether he will adjourn the chamber and hold a closed session to decide how to proceed, since the House of Commons cannot legislate until a speaker is elected. They may also decide to continue voting on the floor.
Among the demands sought by hardliners are promises on how to handle government funding bills, guarantees that new spending will be offset by cuts, further changes to the new House rules package and greater influence over the legislative process. This includes abilities, etc.
