Top Republican questions Johnson’s ability to lead party: report

Almost one year after Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was ousted from the House speakership, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is on thin ice with some of his colleagues.

Ahead of last week's government shutdown aversion, some of Johnson's far-right colleagues openly criticized the Louisiana lawmaker's plan to negotiate with Democrats a massive spending bill to prevent the government from shutting down before the holidays.

Now, one GOP member – House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris (R-MD) — is wondering whether Johnson's leadership is best for the party.

The members will decide the speaker's fate in a vote on January 3.

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According to Politico, "Harris told Fox Business on Thursday that the chamber’s Republicans need to consider if current leadership 'is what we need' going into unified GOP government" in 2025.

Per the report, the Maryland congressman's "comments come after he signaled last week that he was on the fence about whether or not to support Johnson during the Jan. 3 speaker vote, saying in a statement that he was 'now undecided on what House leadership should look like in the 119th Congress.'"

Harris said during his Fox Business interview that he was in Johnson's "corner" weeks ago, "but now we should consider what’s the best path forward," he added. "We do need to consider whether — if we’re going to advance Mr. Trump’s agenda — whether the current leadership is what we need."

Politico notes, "Johnson has worked hard to keep Trump on his side. And while the president-elect hasn’t publicly crossed Johnson since the funding debate, one Trump adviser told POLITICO earlier this month that there wouldn’t be pushback if someone challenged Johnson."

Politico's full report is available here.