By Bo Erickson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s Republicans face a first test of unity in Congress on Friday when they decide whether to keep Mike Johnson in the powerful role of Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The early afternoon leadership vote could be an early indication of the party’s ability to hang together as it works to advance Trump’s agenda of tax cuts and border enforcement through Congress. It also could test Trump’s clout on Capitol Hill, where a handful of Republicans have already shown a willingness to defy him.
House Republicans have been racked by internal divisions over the last two years. Johnson was elevated to speaker after the party ousted his predecessor Kevin McCarthy in the middle of his term. With a scant 219-215 majority, Johnson can afford to lose only a handful of votes if he wants to retain the job.
Ahead of the vote, Johnson said he would not make concessions to win over holdouts.
“I don’t make deals with anyone. There’s no quid pro quo here,” he told reporters. “I don’t do anything in exchange for a vote, other than commit to make this institution work as effectively, as efficiently as possible.”
Trump sought to clear the way for a smooth ride when he endorsed Johnson on Monday following weeks of uncertainty.
“A win for Mike today will be a big win for the Republican Party,” Trump posted online on Friday.
Maverick Republican Representative Thomas Massie, a constant cause of trouble for his party’s leaders, has vowed to vote against Johnson and said he thinks several others will join him. “I suspect there will be one or two here pretty soon,” he told Reuters.
If Massie’s prediction bears out, that would leave Johnson short of the votes needed to remain in the post. Several other party members have been coy about whether they would back him.
So far, no other Republican has publicly hinted at challenging Johnson for the role.
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More than one vote against Johnson, or multiple Republican abstentions in the form of “present” votes, would be enough to block Johnson’s reelection if all Democrats vote for their leader, Hakeem Jeffries, as they are expected to do.
Should Johnson not win election on the first vote, he could try again – the House went through 15 rounds of voting over four days in 2023 before electing McCarthy speaker.
Whoever secures the speakership – a role that is second in line to the presidency after the vice president – will have a big job ahead. In addition to taking on Trump’s sweeping legislative agenda, Congress will need to address the nation’s debt ceiling later this year.
With the federal government already more than $36 trillion in debt, many congressional Republicans are expected to demand significant spending cuts.
Republicans will also be sworn in to their new 53-47 Senate majority on Friday with Senator John Thune as their new leader, succeeding long-serving Senator Mitch McConnell, who is stepping aside from leadership but remaining in office.
Johnson angered some conservatives by repeatedly turning to Democrats to provide the votes to pass critical legislation, like bills to keep government agencies operating. He also faced a last-minute challenge late last month when Trump told House Republicans to scrap a government funding deal, demanding it also raise the nation’s debt ceiling.
A revised version of that bill – not including Trump’s debt-ceiling demand – passed the House only a few hours before the government would have shut down, and it received more support from Democrats than Republicans.
Other Republicans – trying to claim the mantle of defending Trump’s second-term agenda – have made demands in exchange for their support.
Republican Representative Victoria Spartz this week released a wish-list of fiscal structural restraints in the year ahead, opening the door to Johnson winning her over.
One other element working in Johnson’s favor for staying on as speaker is the calendar.
Congress is scheduled to meet on Monday to certify Trump’s presidential election victory, a function it will be unable to perform without a speaker.
Johnson has also looked to make his path for the next two years easier, by changing a rule agreed to by McCarthy that allowed any one member of the House to call for the speaker’s ouster through what is known as a “motion to vacate.” Johnson’s proposed rules would require nine members of the majority to agree before forcing the type of vote that led to McCarthy’s ouster.
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