Eyebrows raised in Washington Thursday after Mike Johnson appeared to renege on the endorsement of a far-right Republican who voted for a bill pushed by the House Speaker but that the House Republican had vocally opposed, a new report shows.
Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-MT) threw his support behind a standalone Israel aid bill as rumors circulated that Johnson was considering backing him, instead of Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy, in the Senate race to challenge Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, the Daily Beast reported Thursday.
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Three sources told the Daily Beast a low-key trade-off was in play, with Rosendale agreeing to back the package in exchange for Johnson backing Rosendale.
But after Punchbowl News reported Thursday morning that Johnson might soon endorse Rosendale, the House Speaker was slammed by top Republican strategists, the Daily Beast sources said.
According to one Daily Beast source, Johnson backpedaled. And the Israel measure ultimately failed, according to the Associated Press.
Johnson’s team denied the the Daily Beast's sources, saying bluntly "That's not true."
“There was no discussion about an endorsement until after the floor was adjourned Tuesday night," the spokesperson reportedly said.
Read the full report here.
