Republican allies of Rep. Mike Johnson are gearing up for a potentially prolonged House speaker race on Friday, as sources within the GOP suggest the possibility of multiple rounds of voting. This scenario could result in a drawn-out floor fight, with negotiations likely to take place with any holdouts among Republican members. Despite the uncertainty in the vote count and Johnson's narrow margin for error, sources remain confident that he will ultimately prevail at some point on Friday.
While there is a chance that Johnson could secure victory on the first ballot by limiting GOP defections to just one, the fact that Republicans are bracing for multiple rounds of voting underscores the fluidity of the situation. GOP Rep. Nicole Malliotakis of New York expressed uncertainty about Johnson's current vote count but expressed belief in his eventual success, even if it may not happen in the initial round of voting. Malliotakis noted that Johnson has been actively engaging with potential holdouts to secure their support.
On the other hand, GOP Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky has definitively stated that he will not be voting for Johnson. Meanwhile, other Republican lawmakers, such as Rep. Chip Roy, have yet to commit to supporting Johnson and are seeking concessions before doing so. The historical context of past speaker elections, like Kevin McCarthy's 15-round victory over multiple days, serves as a reminder of the potential for a protracted floor fight in the current race.
