Special Poll
Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) expressed doubts on Tuesday about Speaker Mike Johnson’s ability to secure enough votes to retain his position. Despite President-elect Trump’s endorsement of Johnson, Roy stated that he remains undecided about supporting the Louisiana Republican in the upcoming Friday vote.
“I’m still undecided, as are many of my colleagues, because of the failures we witnessed last year,” Roy said during an interview on Varney & Co. on Fox Business. “Those failures raise concerns about whether we can effectively advance the president’s agenda.”
Roy went further, saying he does not believe Johnson currently has enough support to remain Speaker. “Right now, I don’t think he has the votes for Friday,” Roy remarked.
Several other Republicans, including Reps. Andy Harris (Md.), Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Victoria Spartz (Ind.), and Thomas Massie (Ky.), have also withheld their support for Johnson. Massie, who has already committed to voting for someone other than Johnson, indicated that Trump’s endorsement has not swayed his decision.
Johnson’s margin for error in the Speaker vote is razor-thin. With all members present, Johnson can only afford to lose one Republican vote, as the incoming 215 House Democrats are expected to unanimously support House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.). Republicans are projected to have 219 members in attendance.
Roy suggested alternative candidates for the Speakership, including Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who chairs the House Judiciary Committee. “People ask who else I’d choose,” Roy said. “Mike is a friend, and maybe he can step up with a plan. But Byron Donalds is a good man and friend—I nominated him two years ago. Jim Jordan is also a good man and friend. There are others in the conference who could do the job.”
While Jordan publicly supported Johnson after Trump’s endorsement, Donalds told The Hill in December that he backed Johnson for Speaker, despite some disagreements over a recent funding bill.
Roy emphasized his respect for Trump and his friendship with Johnson but expressed concerns about Johnson’s leadership over the past year. He criticized the handling of a short-term spending bill finalized before Christmas, highlighting what he saw as a lack of transparency and fiscal responsibility.
“We broke the 72-hour rule twice, meaning we didn’t even have time to read the bill,” Roy said. “It was a 1,500-page monstrosity that had to be cut down to 100 pages, and it still spent $110 billion we couldn’t pay for.”
He warned that these failures could foreshadow challenges ahead if the Republican conference doesn’t organize effectively. “We cannot compromise on what matters. If we don’t cut spending, inflation will persist, and Americans will continue to struggle to afford living in this country,” Roy concluded.