The GOP’s majority in the House is razor thin. But they have even bigger problems on their hands.
Because a Republican congressman is in major trouble after this scathing report leaked to the public.
A recent straw poll conducted at AmericaFest 2024 has shown that a majority of attendees do not believe Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) should remain Speaker of the House.
The poll results were shared by Charlie Kirk, founder and CEO of Turning Point USA, who hosted the event from December 19-22 at the Phoenix Convention Center.
According to the survey, only 22 percent of participants approve of Johnson’s performance.
The Speaker has faced mounting criticism over his handling of recent spending negotiations, which many Republicans view as a failure to secure key conservative priorities. Meanwhile, 62 percent of respondents expressed disapproval of Johnson’s leadership.
Attendees were also asked directly, “Do you think Mike Johnson should remain Speaker of the U.S. House?”
The responses revealed that 58.8 percent believe Johnson should step down, while just 13.7 percent think he should stay in the role. Another 27.5 percent remain undecided.
Here's the results for Speaker Mike Johnson's job approval: pic.twitter.com/EbwetEPox1
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) December 27, 2024
These findings align with a recent Rasmussen Reports poll, which showed Johnson’s favorability has dropped significantly. Only 38 percent of respondents view him at least somewhat favorably, down from 44 percent in April.
As Breitbart News highlighted: “Of that 38 percent, only 14 percent have a ‘very’ favorable impression. Another 36 percent have at least a somewhat unfavorable view of Johnson. Of those, 19 percent view him ‘very’ unfavorably. Another 27 percent remain unsure. … When asked if Johnson is better or worse than the most recent speakers of the House — the last being Kevin McCarthy — 41 percent across the board said he is ‘about the same,’ while 24 percent said he is worse and 20 percent said better. A plurality of Democrats, Republicans, and independents believe Johnson is ‘about the same,’ but another 33 percent of Democrats said Johnson is worse. Twenty-six percent of independents and 13 percent of Republicans agree.”
Johnson’s tenure as Speaker has been fraught with challenges, most notably his negotiation of a contentious 1,537-page continuing resolution (CR) loaded with spending provisions.
The resolution, which included a pay raise for members of Congress, sparked outrage among conservatives in both the House and Senate.
Although lawmakers eventually reached a deal, the agreement was widely perceived as favoring Democrats, with every Democratic member supporting the package.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) has been vocal in his opposition to Johnson’s leadership, stating this week, “I will vote for someone other than Mike Johnson.”
He criticized Johnson’s perceived capitulation to establishment politics, saying, “A weak legislative branch, beholden to the swamp, will not be able to achieve the mandate voters gave Trump and Congress in November.”
I will vote for someone other than Mike Johnson. I’m not persuaded by the “hurry up and elect him so we can certify the election on J6” argument. A weak legislative branch, beholden to the swamp, will not be able to achieve the mandate voters gave Trump and Congress in November. pic.twitter.com/vrD3l45XDX
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) December 27, 2024
As the January 3 vote for Speaker approaches, other Republican lawmakers have signaled they may also consider alternative candidates.
The discontent among conservatives suggests Johnson’s position as Speaker could be in jeopardy, leaving the future of his leadership uncertain.
Stay tuned to the Conservative Column.
