Congress

Mike Johnson Only Has Hours to Convince ‘Undecided’ Republicans

Johnson is furiously working the phones and meeting with some 15 Republicans who are publicly “undecided” on who should be speaker.

Mike Johnson

House Speaker Mike Johnson is seen during a press conference on Capitol Hill. Francis Chung/POLITICO via AP

By Ben T.N. Mause, Riley Rogerson, Katherine Swartz and Reese Gorman

January 02, 2025 09:05 PM

As the House prepares for an uncertain speaker election on Friday, Mike Johnson’s fate rests on the whims of a few “undecided” Republicans.

In the hours leading up to the start of the 119th Congress, that was the word of the moment in Washington.

It’s the word that Rep. Tim Burchett had for NOTUS on Thursday. It’s the word that Rep. Chip Roy keeps using as he insists he’s not firmly anti-Johnson. And it’s the word Rep. Ralph Norman texted NOTUS to describe his position.