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EXCLUSIVE: House GOP critics of how Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La talks about government funding are already starting to release names of potential challengers, the people told Fox News Digital.
Two GOP lawmakers told Fox News Digital that House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Rep. Byron Donalds, R -Fla., were mentioned in the first conversations about alternatives.
One of the two lawmakers said he had not heard from any of the three, adding: “She would be suicidal.”
A person close to Donald told Fox News Digital in response: “At this point, the congressman has not made any statement regarding the future of House leadership.”
A spokesperson for Emmer told Fox News Digital: “Whip Emmer supports Speaker Johnson and is focused on doing the job he was elected to do.”
MIKE JOHNSON WINS REPUBLICAN ENDORSEMENT TO RETURN AS HOUSE SPEAKER AFTER TRUMP’S ENDORSEMENT
Left to right: Speaker Mike Johnson’s critics are bringing up names like Majority Whip Tom Emmer, House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan and Rep. Byron Donalds as possible replacements. (Getty Images)
Fox News Digital also reached out to Jordan and Johnson’s offices for comment.
But discussions about potential challengers to Johnson in the full House speaker vote on Jan. 3, 2025 represent the latest warning shot from Republican lawmakers who vehemently oppose the short-term spending bill. , known as continued resolution (CR).
Congressional leaders released the text of their 1,547-page CR on Tuesday evening after last-minute negotiations delayed its originally scheduled release on Sunday. A source familiar with the discussions told Fox News Digital more specifically that the deal was largely reached between the top two Democrats and Republicans in each chamber.
Since then, it has seen a fierce pushback from conservatives and GOP hardliners, many of whom are frustrated by the unrelated policies attached to the legislation, rather than a “net” extension of government funding.
In addition to averting a partial government shutdown until March 14, the bill also includes provisions on health care and ethanol fuel, in addition to more than $100 billion in disaster relief funding and measures to fund the reconstruction of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge and the first pay raise. for legislators since 2009.
Several GOP lawmakers signaled Tuesday that Johnson could face a challenge to his leadership on the CR.
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Johnson reached an agreement with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
“The speaker definitely has some ‘no’ votes and some people are considering his options,” a third House Republican who spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak candidly told Fox News Digital on Tuesday.
Rep. Ralph Norman, RS.C., told Fox News Digital when asked if Johnson could see a rollback on Jan. 3: “There are always consequences.”
When asked beforehand about any possible speaker challenge, Emmer, Jordan and Donalds have said they support Johnson.
A source close to Jordan told Fox News Digital that the Ohio Republican is “not interested in challenging Johnson.”
But all three ran for House speaker last year after Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was ousted. Johnson finally won after a messy three-week fight.
The Louisiana Republican, who Republicans unanimously chose to be their nominee for speaker last month, also has the support of President-elect Donald Trump, who is likely to keep a lot of backlash at bay.
A large portion of Republican lawmakers are also expected to vote for his plan, with most of Congress agreeing that a partial government shutdown during the holidays would have a negative political and economic impact.
But his CR plan is also under attack from members of Trump’s orbit: Both Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy dismissed the bill on Wednesday.
Johnson has the support of President-elect Trump. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
“Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out within two years!” Musk wrote to X.
Johnson himself dismissed concerns about his work when the rejection began to mount on Tuesday.
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“I’m not worried about the president’s vote,” he said. “We are governing. Everyone knows we have difficult circumstances. We are doing the best we can under these circumstances.”
The speaker and his allies have argued that they won as much as possible while controlling one-half of one-third of the government and promised that Republicans would be in a better position to manage federal funding when the CR expires at the start of the term from Trump
