House Democrats are sending a clear message to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) — don’t count on them for help this time.
Here’s why it matters: Johnson will be leading a very slim majority in the House next year, and he’s already facing growing frustration within his own party.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) has made it clear he’ll vote against Johnson’s re-election as Speaker on January 3. Several other Republicans are still undecided, but with such a narrow majority — 219 to 215 — Johnson can’t afford to lose even a single vote.
Just last week, Johnson found himself in hot water with House Democrats. He walked away from a federal funding deal he had negotiated with them, only to propose a new version with a debt limit extension that was demanded by President-elect Trump. Democrats were furious, accusing Johnson of going back on his word, and made it clear they would not back the new deal. In the end, Johnson passed a version of the bill without the debt ceiling increase, but by then, the damage was already done.
At a recent caucus meeting, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) told his members that things had taken a turn for the worse with Johnson. He pointed out that Johnson’s reversal on the funding deal, plus his silence at crucial moments, had made the situation even more tense.
And now, Democrats who helped Johnson in May are saying they won’t be coming to his rescue again. Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), the House Democratic caucus chair, has made it clear he won’t ask Democrats to save Johnson in the future.
Jeffries even warned on Sunday that Johnson’s re-election as Speaker is far from guaranteed and that Democrats won’t be there to help him.
Some of the Democrats who supported Johnson in May told Axios they agree with Jeffries. “I’ll follow leadership,” said Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas). Others, like Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), have already decided they’ll vote for Jeffries for Speaker.
Johnson is still backed by Trump and has been renominated by his party, but even if he manages to hold onto the Speaker’s gavel in January, he’ll face serious challenges. While Republicans made it harder to remove him, any nine members can still force a vote to oust him. And there’s growing anger from the right-wing of his party, who are pushing for bigger cuts to government spending.
Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas), who is undecided on supporting Johnson, said the Speaker will likely need Democratic votes to stay in power.
One Democrat who helped Johnson in May said they’re no longer on his side: “I thought Johnson was different, but now I see he’s just like McCarthy. I won’t be helping him again.”
Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.), a progressive who voted against ousting Johnson in May, said it best: “He’s betrayed our trust, and we’ll never trust him again.”
In the end, as Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) put it: “It’s up to the Republicans to lead now. If they need us, they’ll have to make it worth our while, but that doesn’t seem likely.”
