Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) said Tuesday that Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) does not have the votes to keep the gavel and that he remains undecided on whether he can support the Louisiana Republican in the Friday floor vote, despite President-elect Trump endorsing Johnson.
“I remain undecided, as do a number of my colleagues, because we saw so many of the failures last year that we are concerned about that might limit or inhibit our ability to advance the president’s agenda,” Roy said Tuesday on “Varney & Co.” on Fox Business.
Later, Roy said Johnson does not yet have the support to be Speaker.
“Right now, I don’t believe he has the votes on Friday,” Roy said.
Several other Republicans — including Reps. Andy Harris (Md.), Andy Biggs (Ariz.) and Victoria Spartz (Ind.) — are continuing to withhold support for Johnson despite Trump’s endorsement. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who has said he will vote for a person other than Johnson, has also signaled that Trump’s endorsement did not change his mind.
Johnson can only afford one Republican defection in the Jan. 3 Speaker election, assuming all members are present and voting for a candidate. The House’s incoming 215 Democrats are all expected to vote for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), and Republicans are expected to have 219 members in attendance that day.