Speaker Mike Johnson's future in question
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) - The future of House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) could be in jeopardy in the new year.
House Republicans will have a razor-thin majority when lawmakers are sworn in Jan. 3. Their first vote will be electing a leader, and there are already some signs Speaker Johnson could face a challenge.
Some allies of President-elect Donald Trump say Speaker Johnson has to go.
"Should Johnson be Speaker of the House?" Steve Bannon asked the crowd at Turning Point USA's AmericaFest 2024 Monday.
Bannon criticized Johnson's attempts to work with Democrats to keep the government funded.
"It's 1,500 pages of sellout to Hakeem Jeffries," Bannon said.
Ultimately, a different version of the bill passed after Elon Musk and President-elect Trump weighed in, but the latest spending showdown has shown fractures among Republicans.
Congressman Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) has said he isn't happy with the process.
"This just stinks. It's why America doesn't trust government and it's for good dadgum reason," Rep. Burchett said.
Congressman Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) told The Hill he won't back Johnson for Speaker but finding someone new isn't so easy,
Congressman Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) told The Hill Sunday, "The problem with replacing Mike Johnson is that you've got to find somebody in his right mind who wants to take that job, and anybody who wants it obviously isn't in his right mind."
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) suggested on X that Elon Musk should be speaker. Johnson addressed questions over leadership last week, saying he talked to Musk about that., "...and I said, 'Hey do you want to be Speaker of the House?' 'I don't know,' he said 'It's maybe the hardest job in the world.' I think it is. But we're going to get through this," Johnson said Friday evening.
Johnson needs 218 votes to keep the gavel, that means he can't afford to lose any other Republicans, assuming everyone is present and voting.
There are a handful who say they're undecided.