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Washington — House Speaker Mike Johnson on Thursday met with members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus as his bid for the speakership in the next Congress hangs in the balance.
House members will vote Friday on reelecting the Louisiana Republican as speaker, but it’s unclear whether Johnson will have the votes, though no other serious challenger has emerged.
Several conservatives were seen entering Johnson’s office at the Capitol on Thursday afternoon, including House Freedom Caucus Chairman Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland, who has questioned his leadership.
Johnson’s handling of government funding may have diminished his standing with the chamber’s far-right members. Harris said in an interview with Fox Business on Dec. 26 that he was in Johnson’s corner before the funding fight, but members are considering “whether the current leadership is what we need.”
If Democrats remain united and all members are voting and present on Friday, Johnson can only lose one Republican vote and still win the gavel.
Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, says he plans to vote for someone other than Johnson.
Others have not said how they’ll vote, including Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, who attended Thursday’s meeting. Roy said Massie made good arguments against Johnson, but added that it’s not all Johnson’s fault.
As he was heading into the meeting with Johnson, Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina said he wanted certain assurances on a number of issues and that he was undecided.
Rep. Victoria Spartz of Indiana, who also attended the meeting, said she would make her decision Friday.
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