Republicans' razor-thin margin means that Johnson needs the support of all but one Republican lawmaker.
All Democrats are present, notes Punchbowl's John Bresnahan. That means Republicans have no extra wiggle room.
So far, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) is that one lawmaker. He went as far as to say, "You can pull all my fingernails out, you can shove bamboo up in them, you can start cutting off my fingers" when asked if he would vote for Johnson. Alrighty then …
Massie is the only defection Johnson can lose: Meanwhile, at least half a dozen hardline conservatives are on the fence about letting Johnson keep the gavel. Potential GOP holdouts to watch:
Rep. Andy Biggs (Ariz.)
Rep. Tim Burchett (Tenn.)
Rep. Lauren Boebert (Colo.)
Rep. Eric Burlison (Mo.)
Rep. Ralph Norman (S.C.)
Rep. Scott Perry (Pa.)
Rep. Andy Harris (Md.)
Rep. Chip Roy (Texas)
^ To sweeten the deal for some of these Republicans: Some hardline conservatives want Johnson to name Roy as the chair of the powerful House Rules Committee.
Is Johnson open to that?: It's tricky. The reason conservatives are unhappy with Johnson in the first place is because he cut deals in the recent spending battle. If Johnson cuts deals to keep the gavel, he risks ending up in the same predicament that ultimately cost former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) the gavel. However, if the Speaker fight goes to multiple ballots, Johnson may need to cut a deal to end a stalemate.
Politico's Jordain Carney and Olivia Beavers have a helpful read on the tricky predicament Johnson is in.
Where does Trump stand in all of this?: President-elect Trump backs Johnson. In fact, he gave Johnson a public boost this morning. Read Trump's full post
He also called into CNN late this morning, predicting that Johnson will do well. "He's a very fine individual, he's religious, he's smart, he's strong. Everybody likes him. Everybody respects him," Trump told CNN. 📹 Watch the clip
💡 Why this matters: The House is always filled with drama — the internal haggling is to be expected, especially with all the competing personalities in the Republican Party. But today also marks the first day of the GOP controlling the House and the Senate. President-elect Trump will be inaugurated in just a few weeks and backs Johnson. If Republicans are still comfortable balking Trump's wishes, it sets the mood for the incoming GOP trifecta.
Maybe the House should make this Speaker vote into a bowl game. Though this year's Pop-Tarts Bowl is admittedly hard to top.
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