House Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) future remains murky as former House maverick Matt Gaetz interviewed several House Republicans who remain undecided on his new One America News Network show.
Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Thomas Massie (R-KY), and Victoria Spartz (R-IN) all told Gaetz they either oppose Johnson’s bid or require changes for him to have their votes.
Johnson can’t afford more than a single GOP defection to be elected speaker, assuming all Democrats are opposed, which appears to be the case. House Republicans hold a narrow 219-215 majority.
Massie reinforced on Thursday that he will be a sure “no” vote.
“You could pull all my fingernails out, you could shove bamboo up in them, you can start cutting off my fingers. I am not voting for Mike Johnson tomorrow,” Massie said.
Despite President-elect Donald Trump’s support of Johnson, Massie has remained steadfast that he won’t vote for him. “For months, Democrats ignored the fact that Joe Biden was a potato,” he said on Dec. 30. “They convinced themselves that keeping him around was the pragmatic way to win the day. Too late did they admit the emperor had no clothes. Republicans are doing the same thing by keeping Speaker Mike Johnson.”
Boebert and Spartz would not say whether they would vote for Johnson. The former appeared more optimistic about him, remarking that if he commits to Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) as chairman of the House Rules Committee, it “would secure the vote on the first round with no significant battle.”
Spartz said on the show that she is still undecided on whether she will vote for Johnson. She said she requires “structural changes” and believes Johnson doesn’t have the votes.
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“He would have a hard time to become speaker at this point,” she said.
The House will vote on its next speaker on Friday. All Democrats are expected to vote for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY).
