Trump boosts Speaker of the House Mike Johnson ahead of high-stakes vote: A fine man of great ability

President-elect Donald Trump doubled down on his endorsement of Speaker of the House Mike Johnson on Friday morning, hours before a high-stakes House vote on whether to keep him in power.“Good luck today for Speaker Mike Johnson, a fine man of great ability, who is very close to having 100% support,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.“A win for Mike today will be a big win for the Republican Party, and yet another acknowledgment of our 129 year most consequential Presidential Election!! – A BIG AFFIRMATION, INDEED.

MAGA!”“Thank you, President Trump! Today is a new day in America,” Johnson (R-la.) responded on X.“Congressional Republicans must stay united to quickly deliver President Trump’s America First agenda.

Let’s get it done.”The 52-year-old Louisiana Republican faces one of the tightest majority margins in House history — with only room for one Republican to oppose him before he’ll be blocked from winning the speaker’s gavel.Rep.Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) has already come out against him, and several more, including Reps.

Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Andy Harris (R-Md.), Chip Roy (R-Texas) and Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.), remain publicly undecided going into the first round of voting at noon Friday.“Nearly everyone knows from his 18 month history of betraying Republicans and teaming with Democrats that Johnson isn’t the right guy,” Massie railed Friday morning on X.“If he fails on the first round today, a better Speaker can be elected in a few hours or over the weekend.”No alternative candidate has emerged to lead House Republicans, however, and Johnson was unanimously elected to lead the conference in October 2023 after nearly three weeks of infighting after the defenestration of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).McCarthy became the first speaker of the House in history to be removed by a vote of his own party.Several members of GOP leadership as well as Rep.

Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) tried to succeed him but were unable to whip up enoug...