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EXCLUSIVE: Critics of House Republican Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana)’s handling of government funding negotiations have already begun naming potential challengers, sources told Fox News Digital.
Two Republicans told Fox News Digital that in early talks about alternatives, House Majority Whip Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), He said that Rep. Byron Donald (R-Florida)’s name had been mentioned.
In response, a source close to Donald told Fox News Digital: “At this time, the congressman has not made any statements regarding the future of House leadership.”
“Whip Emmer supports Speaker Johnson and is focused on doing the job he was elected to do,” a spokesperson for Emmer told Fox News Digital.
Fox News Digital also reached out to Donald, Jordan and Johnson’s offices for comment.
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From left to right: House Speaker Mike Johnson’s critics include Majority Whip Tom Emmer, House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, and Rep. Byron Donald as possible candidates to replace him. I am doing it. (Getty Images)
One lawmaker said he had not heard anything from the three, adding: “That would be suicidal.”
But the debate over Mr Johnson’s potential rivals in the House speaker vote on January 3, 2025, is the latest warning shot from Republican lawmakers who fiercely oppose the short-term spending bill known as the Continuing Resolution (CR). It has become.
Congressional leaders released the text of the 1,547-page CR on Tuesday night after last-minute negotiations delayed its originally scheduled Sunday release.
Since then, there has been intense pushback from conservatives and hardline House Republicans, many of whom are unhappy that the bill comes with unrelated policy riders rather than a “clean” extension of government funding.
In addition to averting a partial government shutdown through March 14, the bill also includes health care and ethanol fuel provisions, as well as more than $100 billion in disaster relief funds and the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. It also includes measures to fund the rebuilding and first pay raises. For members of parliament since 2009.
Several Republican MPs suggested on Tuesday that Johnson could face a leadership challenge over CR.
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Mr. Johnson reached an agreement with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
“There’s definitely a ‘no’ vote for the speaker, and some people are considering their options,” one House Republican, speaking candidly on condition of anonymity, told Fox News Digital on Tuesday.
“There are always consequences,” Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., told Fox News Digital when asked if Johnson could face a blowback on January 3.
When previously asked about potential challenges as a speaker, Emmer, Jordan and Donald all said they supported Johnson.
A source close to Jordan told Fox News Digital that the Ohio Republican “has no interest in challenging Mr. Johnson.”
But all three ran for House speaker last year after former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was ousted. After three weeks of melee, Johnson was ultimately victorious.
The Louisiana Republican, who was unanimously chosen by the Republican Party last month to be speaker, is also supported by President-elect Donald Trump, and any significant backlash is likely to be contained.
He also said that a majority of Republicans are still expected to vote in favor of his plan, and that Congress is concerned about the negative political and economic impact of a partial government shutdown over the holidays. Most MPs agree.
But his CR plan has also come under attack from Trump supporters, with Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy slamming the bill on Wednesday.
Johnson has the support of President-elect Trump. (AP Photo/Wilfried Lee)
“Any Representative or Senator who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out within two years!” Musk wrote about X.
Mr Johnson himself dismissed concerns about his job as headwinds began to pick up on Tuesday.
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“I’m not worried about the speaker’s vote,” he said. “We are governing. We all know we are in a difficult situation. We are doing the best we can under the circumstances.”
He and his allies claimed to have won as many victories as possible while controlling one-third of the government, and when the CR expired at the beginning of President Trump’s term, the Republican Party promised to be in a better position to handle federal funds.
Elizabeth Elkind is a political reporter for FOX News Digital, where she leads coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines can be found on the Daily Mail and CBS News.
Follow @liz_elkind on Twitter and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com.
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