“Don’t do what McCarthy did”: Moderate GOP members urge Johnson not to deal with party’s far-right

Congress is set to elect their next speaker of the House on Friday, and incumbent Speaker Mike Johnson’s path to the gavel is anything but certain.

The GOP’s majority in the House is razor-thin, and Johnson needs all the yeas he can get, but moderate Republicans are warning Johnson not to cave to the demands of the party’s ascendant far-right.

Endorsements from President-elect Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk may not be enough to sway every member of the caucus. Johnson will almost certainly be forced to negotiate with detractors within his party. Johnson admitted in a Thursday interview with Fox and Friends that he can “only afford to lose one or two” GOP votes.

At least a handful of far-right members of Congress aren’t ready to commit their vote to Johnson, the New York Times reported on Thursday, worrying some in the party. According to a report from Axios, “scores” of “regular” House GOPers are warning Johnson not to deal with the party fringe.

“Don’t do what [former House Speaker Kevin] McCarthy did,” one House Republican told Axios. “Don’t give promises upon which you can’t deliver. Don’t give promises that require us to do things that we don’t want to do, that are beyond reasonable.”

Another representative told the publication that Johnson “cannot trust these guys who undermine us at every point.” 

“They ask for first base, the speaker gives it to them, and they ask for second base,” they added.

Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie pledged his opposition to Johnson on social media this week, while the New York Times reports that Indiana Rep. Victoria Spartz may make her vote contingent on promises to crack down on government spending. Meanwhile, some inside the House Freedom Caucus haven’t yet shared their positions, the Times reports.

Massie also told the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday that he wouldn’t bow to pressure from his colleagues to back Johnson or sit the vote out.

“If they thought I had no Fs to give before, I definitely have no Fs to give now,” Massie told the outlet.

The GOP will hold 219 seats to Democrats’ 215 on Friday, meaning Johnson will need a near-unanimous vote among Republicans to gain the speakership. Democratic minority leader Hakeem Jeffries indicated last month that his party wouldn’t back Johnson’s bid.

In his Fox News interview on Thursday, Johnson said he was aware of those who plan to vote against him and acknowledged he was ready to negotiate.

“I’ve talked to every single one of those friends and colleagues [who have said they may vote against],” Johnson shared. “We’ll be talking about process reforms inside the House.”