House GOP rallies behind Speaker Mike Johnson against “bullshit” criticisms: “He's willing to sit down with every single freaking member in every faction”
Speaker Mike Johnson is shoring up support from across the GOP ahead of the next vote for Speaker of the House. His allies in Congress tell us why they're backing him.
The 118th Congress ended like it started — with Democrats and media trying to divide House Republicans. Following a contentious debate over the government funding bill, House Republicans told the Washington Reporter that they are united behind Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) heading into the next Congress.
Rep. Claudia Tenney (R., N.Y.) told the Reporter in an interview that Johnson is “not weak. Who are we going to get who is as deeply knowledgeable about the Constitution, has the humility, also has the hard work? He's willing to sit down with every single freaking member in every faction. No one else is going to do that.”
Tenney, who is closely aligned with Trump, was strongly supportive of Johnson in remarks to the Reporter, as were her colleagues, including Reps. Don Bacon (R., Neb.), Stephanie Bice (R., Okla.), and Marc Molinaro (R., N.Y.). The criticisms of Johnson are mostly “bullshit,” a House Republican told the Reporter.
“Folks who don’t support Mike Johnson on January 3 only weaken the Republican Conference and strengthen Hakeem Jeffries,” Bacon told the Reporter. “We voted unanimously in November for Johnson to remain as Speaker. We also received a commitment from the Freedom Caucus to support Johnson last November. Let’s be a team and live by our commitments. Teams win, divided teams get beat.”
“There’s always room for growth and Speaker Johnson understands and does this as best as anyone,” Molinaro told the Reporter. “His leadership and commitment to constitutional principles are essential as Congress aligns with President Trump’s vision to strengthen America and protect Americans. In these critical times, his focus on unity, freedom, and a secure future while managing a conference of varied and strong willed beliefs is what’s needed.”
Even incoming lawmakers, like Florida’s Mike Haridopolos, are eager to work with Johnson as Speaker in the next Congress.
“The House faced the realities of divided government until January,” Haridopolos, a former president of the Florida state Senate, told the Reporter. “Fortunately Speaker Johnson, with skill and grace, was able to forge a deal to keep the government open and give the new Republican trifecta a clean budget slate to work with starting in January.”
Johnson also has support from heavy hitters in the conservative movement and in Congress. Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) called Johnson “the most conservative Speaker of the House we’ve seen in our lifetimes.” Newt Gingrich, himself a former Speaker of the House, said that “Johnson is doing the best he can in an almost impossible situation and he’s learning how to work with Trump.”
It won’t necessarily be perfectly smooth sailing for the genial southerner, however. Rep. Thomas Massie (R., Ky.) has already said that he won’t back Johnson, and Rep. Andy Harris (R., Md.), the chairman of the Freedom Caucus, said that he was “undecided” on Johnson following the continuing resolution fight.