Mike Johnson survives budget dispute, but his future as president is uncertain

Congress on Wednesday approved a short-term extension of federal financial aid, temporarily avoiding a shutdown as Washington turns its attention to the November election. However, the measure passed with more Democratic votes than Republicans, drawing criticism from members of its right wing.

Now some lawmakers doubt that Johnson will get enough votes to remain speaker if the Republicans retain their majority in the House of Representatives next year.

“I think that would require Trump's support,” said Republican Rep. Thomas Massie (Kentucky), who initiated a failed attempt to oust Johnson in May. “So I expect Mike will spend a lot of time with Trump.”

The criticism comes after the short-term spending bill passed by a vote of 341 to 82, with all of the no votes coming from Republicans. The bill received a majority of GOP votes, a litmus test within its conference on whether the bill should be brought to a vote.

But Johnson faces a razor-thin majority that is expected to be similarly narrow if the Republicans retain the majority in November, and even marginal opposition can block his candidacy.

Although the latest funding bill did not spark an attempt to oust Johnson, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted because he also relied on Democrats to pass a continuation resolution. In this latest episode, hardliners wanted a citizenship-based voting bill tied to an extension of federal funding, but Johnson, who initially supported the idea, backed down when a vote on it failed in the House.

“Needing the support of liberal Democrats for anything is a step backwards,” said Representative Ralph Norman (R-SC), who voted against the funding bill, to the Washington Examiner.

Still, it is “too early” to know what this might mean for the future of Johnson's leadership, Norman said – a view shared by other parliamentarians.

Johnson has already survived an attempt to remove him from the office of Speaker because of a series of bills he negotiated with Democrats that were desperate to pass. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) joined Massie at the time to initiate the vote.

But Johnson, relying on the goodwill of the Democrats in the House of Representatives and the support of former President Donald Trump, survived easily. McCarthy had previously needed 14 rounds to become speaker at the start of the current Congress. He was removed from office less than a year later.

“Is this a pet topic? I have no idea,” Greene said Wednesday. “I'll tell you quite frankly: People are sick of the drama here in this place and the drama it brings into their lives, and so am I, and I'm going home.”

Other Republicans rejected the notion that Johnson's position as speaker was in jeopardy because of the passage of the funding bill.

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“He's going to do the right thing, and I don't think you end up being punished for doing the right thing,” House Budget Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) said before the vote. “So I think he's going to do just fine.”

The spokesman's office did not respond to a request for comment from the Washington Examiner.