Mike Johnson’s Strategy of Losing All the Time Is Helping Him Stay in Power

Johnson’s willingness to let his party’s messy policy fights play out in public actually seems to be working in his favor.

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Johnson “has tried to accommodate those who have a very difficult time finding compromise,” one member said. J. Scott Applewhite/AP

For Mike Johnson, losing may be the best way to win.

His House agenda is often bumbling, with failed procedural votes and bills abruptly pulled from the floor. Several of his members have hit the exits early, leaving Republicans only barely hanging onto a majority at all.

But all the chaos has had at least one beneficial side effect for Johnson: Everyone is simply too tired and too burned out to look for someone else who might do the job better.