Speaker Mike Johnson’s future hangs by a thread as GOP drama threatens to put Trump’s win in peril

House Republicans are in chaos ahead of a critical vote today on whether to keep Speaker Mike Johnson in power and their internal drama could prevent Donald Trump’s election victory from being certified in time.

Because Republicans will have a razor-thin majority in the new 119th Congress — 219 to 215 — just a few disgruntled Republican members could derail the speaker’s reelection chances.

As it stands now, Johnson, 52, can can only afford to lose one Republican vote and still be re-elected.

At least one Republican rebel: Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky. – is already planning to vote against him, with about a dozen members on the fence.

If another Republican joins Massie, the House of Representatives will be paralyzed, requiring a speaker to perform even the most basic functions.

Two years ago, at the start of the last Congress, Republicans got off to an embarrassing start after taking five days and 15 rounds to elect former Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Should presidential elections continue on Friday as long as they did for McCarthy, Congress’ engine could stall again, this time just before Donald Trump’s election certification, scheduled for Monday, January 6.

If this were to happen, Congress might not be able to certify the 2024 election results in time, which would cause unexpected pain and delay the constitutionally mandated process.

But a handful of Republican members appear unbothered by the potential pitfall, despite Johnson warning them that they “cannot afford palace drama.”

This bold dissatisfaction from the Republican Party has raised reservations about Johnson’s leadership, with at least one of them claiming he is an absolute no.

Now the speaker must defend his slim margin to maintain his grip on the hammer of power and put Trump in power.

“We may have one dissenting vote,” Johnson confidently announced Thursday evening during an interview with Fox Business.

“I think we’ll get it done in the first round,” he continued. “That’s certainly encouraging.”

The no vote will likely come from Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who told DailyMail.com he opposes Johnson’s reelection.

While walking the halls of the Capitol with DailyMail.com before the Christmas recess, the Kentucky Republican also revealed that at least three Republican members of the House of Representatives had come up to him “grumbling about Johnson.”

On Thursday, he doubled down on his opposition, telling reporters about the Republican Party’s leadership: “If before they thought I had no F’s to give, I certainly don’t have any F’s to give now.”

Massie just needs another Republican to come out against Johnson to undermine the speaker’s re-election bid.

On Thursday, several Republicans met privately with Johnson to discuss their thoughts ahead of the selection of speakers.

Republican Reps. Chip Roy, Victoria Spartz, Andy Harris, Andy Biggs, Ralph Norman, Eli Crane and more lawmakers undecided about voting met with the speaker.

Roy, R-Texas, said Johnson was a good friend but remained undecided. He has criticized the speaker for his handling of the spending deal to avoid a government shutdown last month.

Roy said he didn’t believe Johnson had the votes, but he also didn’t have a clear alternative, simply suggesting there are “a lot of great members.” He said he would have to see if Johnson could deliver on the agenda.

“We have to stick together,” Johnson continued in the Fox interview on Thursday. “We will be operating with the smallest margin in U.S. history for much of the first 100 days of Congress and perhaps longer into the year.”

“So it’s imperative that every Republican, no matter how diverse our party is, can put aside their personal preferences every day and work together for the team. And I think everyone clearly understands the mandate that we have, the importance of this moment. And I think they will come and get along.”

Disgruntled Republicans want reforms in Johnson’s spending procedures, especially afterward Johnson tried to push through a 1,547-page bill on government spending just as lawmakers were leaving for Christmas.

The massive measure quickly drew the ire of Elon Musk and many other Republicans.

Ultimately, the bill was rejected and after Trump and Musk requested some revisions, another bill was passed. The whole process ruffled many Republican feathers.

Crucially, Trump threw his full support behind Johnson and warned “attention-seeking” Republicans not to cross Johnson.

“He’s the one who can win now,” Trump told reporters at Mar-a-Lago. “People like him, almost everyone likes him.”

“But there are 30 to 40 people who don’t like them,” he continued. Trump said he would call members if he had to, but predicted that wouldn’t be necessary.

“Oh, I think they’ll support Speaker Johnson,” Trump said. “I think we’re going to have a great time in Washington. I think we’re going to get great support.”

In a post on Truth Social days before Trump, the speaker also praised: “Speaker Mike Johnson is a good, hardworking, religious man. He will do the right thing and we will keep winning.”

Johnson, 52, has been chairman since October 2023, when eight disaffected Republicans voted to oust his predecessor McCarthy. By removing the speaker, early elections were called to fill the vacancy.

The battle to elect a new speaker lasted three weeks, during which the House did nothing but hold unsuccessful speaker votes. Johnson is clearly trying to avoid that this time.

On Wednesday, the House Rules Committee also released a new package that would raise the threshold of votes needed to initiate a vote on removing the speaker.

In 2022, a single vote cast by Gaetz was enough to initiate removal proceedings for McCarthy.

The rule proposed by Johnson’s allies in the Rules Committee this week would increase that number from one to nine.

Specifically, it requires that any motion to dismiss the speaker must have at least eight co-sponsors.

Still, that Rules Committee bill won’t be voted on until a chairman has been elected.