The Struggles of Speaker Johnson
Mike Johnson's narrow majority isn't his only problem.
The very-narrow House majority received plenty of attention in recent weeks as Mike Johnson’s already narrow majority shrunk further. It’s a big challenge but hardly the only one he’s faced as Speaker. So this month, I wrote a piece for my the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University’s newsletter trying to unpack Johnson’s challenges from a broader perspective. [editor note: the previous title was edited after learning its historical origin. I apologize if it caused any offense.]
Mike Johnson has had a rough time leading the House of Representatives. Under his speakership, Republicans set the record for the number of failed special rules (votes speakers use to bring bills to the floor), set the modern record for successful discharge petitions to bring bills to the floor over Johnson’s objections, and forced him to pull legislation from the floor after it became clear he lacked the votes. It’s been a tough go.
The reason for these problems is multifaceted. Republicans’ historically narrow majority received renewed attention among the press after Rep. LaMalfa’s passing. However, the numbers are just one of several problems ranging from political to structural to personal. So while the small majority may get the headlines, I’d like to break down the other, arguably more important, challenges Johnson has faced during his tenure.
Political – The Republican Conference
Without question, Speaker Johnson’s biggest challenge is the paradox of the House Republican Conference. It is simultaneously a product of intense polarization and declining partisanship. Ideologically, it remains profoundly different from Democrats. Yet, this increasing distance from their political opposition has been coupled with a decline in teamwork and internal harmony. In total, Republicans are both less likely to work with Democrats and less likely to work with themselves. The result is dysfunction and stunted House influence.