Allies of Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., recommend it President-elect Trump publicly affirming support for the House GOP leader to avoid a messy, protracted battle that could delay confirmation of his victory.
“If we have some kind of protracted war where we can't elect a speaker – the speaker isn't elected; we're not sworn in. And if we're not sworn in, we can't confirm the election,” Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital.
“I would hope that President Trump would step in and talk to those who are maybe a little hesitant, and say, 'We have to go. We don't have time.'
Meanwhile, Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital “it would be great” if Trump intervened.
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Speaker Mike Johnson's allies are looking to President Trump for help to avoid a long-term ugly speaker race. (Getty Images)
“Any time would be great, but right after Christmas if President Trump were to say, 'You know, listen' — it would be great if somehow Mike Johnson ended up being Mar-a-Lago for Christmas … wherever the president is,” Fallon said. “I think it will be very strong.”
House lawmakers return to Washington, DC, for a general election to choose the speaker on Friday, January 3. A few days later, on Monday, January 6, the House will meet to confirm the results of the 2024 election.
Johnson faces a potentially bitter battle to win the speakership for a full term in Congress, and several House Republicans have criticized the Louisiana Republican and his handling of state finances.
His predecessor won 14 times in his bid to win the game, and finally got it after days of negotiations and the 15th House-wide vote.
When he was ousted from office, Johnson won after a three-week battle between the GOP that saw Congress paralyzed at the time.
But some House Republicans are already warning that they could afford to delay what Trump himself says he hopes will be the first 100 days of his second term.
“To ensure that President Trump can take office and hit the ground running on January 20, we must be able to ensure the 2024 election on January 6. However, without a speaker, we will not finish ts' this process,” Rep. Claudia Tenney, RNY, told Fox News Digital.
Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, is one of Johnson's defenders (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Tenney warned that it could delay “starting his program.”
Congress narrowly avoided a government shutdown hours after the December 20 budget deadline, passing a bill to extend that deadline until March 14 while extending many other important programs and to replenish the FEMA Disaster Assistance Fund.
It angered GOP lawmakers who opposed the addition of unrelated policy riders to what they believe would be a more transparent expansion of federal funding.
Johnson again he tried and failed taking into account Trump's need to combine action on the debt limit – which was suspended until January 2025 – with his federal funding bill, after 38 House Republicans and all but two Democrats voted against too.
Fallon told Fox News Digital that he did not mean they would oppose Trump if he endorsed Johnson again before January 3.
“Some of the 38 people – it was very important – they really want to attack the crime,” Fallon said. “They felt like just allowing the debt ceiling for two years – they like to use that as a negotiating tool to say, 'Let's reduce the debt to GDP ratio.'
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But one of Johnson's biggest critics, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., has already told reporters that he is not running for Johnson next year.
Two others, House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., and Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, suggested that they no longer intend to support Johnson over the weekend.
Meanwhile, there have been media reports that Trump is unhappy with how Johnson handled the federal budget and that his demand for a debt ceiling was not heeded.
Trump himself has not spoken about Johnson publicly since Friday's election. But Trump's top allies, like Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, came to Johnson's defense.
It took 15 rounds of voting for former Speaker Kevin McCarthy to win the race (Valerie Plesch)
“He's without a doubt the most ethical House Speaker we've ever had in our lifetime,” Cruz said on his podcast “The Verdict.” “If Mike Johnson is impeached as Speaker of the House, we will end up with a more liberal speaker of the House than Mike Johnson.”
Others have also pointed out that Trump's influence will weigh heavily on what happens in the end.
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Next House Republican who spoke on condition of anonymity to speak out told Fox News Digital earlier last week that they had considered Johnson's opponent but said Trump would be the final decision.
“I think, in the end, it's going to be decided who President Trump likes, because I believe that's going to be very difficult in terms of deciding that, because, right now, President Trump is doing very well with Mike Johnson . They have a very good relationship,” Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., told CNN's “State of the Union.”
Asked if he would support Johnson if Trump did, despite his opposition to his federal budget plans, Burchett said “Maybe.”
Johnson will enter the Jan. 3 Speaker election with just a slim three-vote GOP margin — and Democratic support is unlikely.