Elise Stefanik Scorches Political Novice' Mike Johnson: He Certainly Wouldn't Have the Votes to Be Speaker'

"He certainly wouldn't have the votes to be speaker if there was a roll-call vote tomorrow, submitted Stefanik. I believe that the majority of Republicans would vote for new leadership. It's that widespread. In the Journal interview, Stefanik painted Johnson's standing with Republicans as in a state of collapse. She cited matters ranging from members criticizing his decision to keep lawmakers in their home districts during the recent government shutdown."

"to weak showings in special elections and to what she casts as his failure to address the expected jump in healthcare costs if the party doesn't reach an agreement with Democrats soon. Whereas Kevin McCarthy was a political animal, Mike Johnson is a political novice and boy does it show, with the House Republicans underperforming for the first time in the Trump era, added Stefanik, who dismissed Johnson's good relationship with President Donald Trump."

"Stefanik and Johnson have been locked in battle over provision she wanted to add to the National Defense Authorization Act. Mediate previously reported on the spat: It all started on Monday when Stefanik posted a screed on X, saying Johnson was getting rolled by House Dems attempting to block my provision to require Congressional disclosure when the FBI opens counterintelligence investigations into presidential and federal candidates seeking office."

Elise Stefanik asserted that Mike Johnson would not retain the speakership in a hypothetical roll-call vote and said most Republicans prefer new leadership. She criticized Johnson for keeping members in their districts during the government shutdown, weak special-election results, and failing to address rising healthcare costs without a bipartisan deal. Stefanik compared Johnson unfavorably to Kevin McCarthy and downplayed Johnson's relationship with Donald Trump. A separate dispute centers on Stefanik's proposed NDAA provision requiring congressional disclosure when the FBI opens counterintelligence probes into presidential and federal candidates, which faced opposition from House Democrats.

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