House speakership balloting starts with holdouts like Massie, Roy potentially blocking Johnson's bid

The balloting for reelecting House Speaker Mike Johnson began Friday with the Louisiana Republican needing all but one or two votes to keep him from retaining the gavel.

The lone, clear holdout is Kentucky GOP Rep. Thomas Massie. Johnson can essentially lose only one or two votes, with Texas GOP Rep. Chip Roy reportedly wanting the speaker to appoint him to lead the chamber's key Rules committee in exchange for his yes vote. 

Johnson has faced criticism from within his party for working with House Democrats, and giving them concessions, in his first measure, which failed, to keep the government fully funded and avoid a shutdown. GOP members also said the measure had too much spending in it. 

Johnson eventually passed a more lean, so-called "continuing resolution," but it did not include an end to the federal debt ceiling that fiscal conservative and President-elect Donald Trump wanted. Still, Trump has backed Johnson in his bid to retain the speakership.

"Nearly everyone knows from his 18 month history of betraying Republicans and teaming with Democrats that Johnson isn’t the right guy," Massie wrote on X. "If he fails on the first round today, a better Speaker can be elected in a few hours or over the weekend."

It is uncertain how Congressman Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., will vote. He was one of the Republicans who voted to oust former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and he voted “present” on the 15th Speaker ballot in January of 2023.

Other Republicans whose votes are uncertain include Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., who said he was undecided according to The Hill.

However, some of Johnson's very vocal critics have said they would vote for him to bring the infighting to the end. 

Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who tried to oust Johnson at one point, said in a video that she would vote for him.