The U.S. House is stirring with drama right now. It doesn’t look like it’ll be solved anytime soon.
And Congress was rocked with a massive shakeup that has the Republican Party in utter panic mode.
House GOP Rumbles: Critics Float Potential Challengers to Speaker Mike Johnson Amid Funding Disputes
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is facing mounting criticism from some members of his own party over his handling of government funding talks. Rumblings of discontent have already spurred early discussions about potential challengers, multiple sources told Fox News Digital.
Two Republican lawmakers revealed that House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn.; House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio; and Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., have been floated as alternatives in conversations.
One of the lawmakers emphasized that none of the three have necessarily expressed interest in a leadership bid, saying, “That would be su*cidal.”
One individual close to Donalds confirmed to Fox News Digital that he has not commented on leadership matters, stating, “At this time, the Congressman has not made any statements regarding the future of House leadership.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Emmer voiced support for Johnson, noting, “Whip Emmer supports Speaker Johnson and is focused on doing the job he was elected to do.”
The talk about potential rivals highlight deep frustrations among GOP hardliners, particularly over Johnson’s proposed short-term spending bill, also referred to as a continuing resolution (CR). The legislation aims to avert a partial government shutdown through March 14, but its additional provisions on health care, ethanol fuel, and infrastructure projects have sparked backlash from conservatives who wanted a “clean” funding extension.
The CR also includes over $100 billion in disaster aid funding, the rebuilding of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, and the first pay raise for legislators since 2009. These policy riders have further inflamed tensions within the Republican conference.
Johnson’s critics argue that the bill does little to address the ballooning national debt, which stood at a staggering $36.19 trillion as of Wednesday and continues to climb rapidly. The federal government’s $1.834 trillion budget deficit in the last fiscal year—one of the largest in U.S. history—has only deepened conservative calls for fiscal restraint.
Despite these pressures, Johnson and his allies maintain that the CR was the best deal they could achieve while controlling only one chamber of Congress. They argue that the legislation positions Republicans to tackle federal funding more effectively when the CR expires early in the next administration, likely under President-elect Trump.
Nevertheless, the blowback has been sharp. Prominent figures in Trump’s circle, including Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, have criticized the bill. Musk took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to declare, “Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!”
Inside the House, GOP lawmakers have signaled that Johnson could face repercussions for his handling of the funding debate. “The speaker definitely has some ‘no’ votes and some people considering their options,” one Republican lawmaker said anonymously to Fox News Digital. Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., echoed the sentiment, commenting, “There’s always consequences.”
Despite the rumblings, Johnson has expressed confidence in his position. “I’m not worried about the speaker vote,” he stated. “We’re governing. Everybody knows we have difficult circumstances. We’re doing the very best we can under those circumstances.”
Key figures like Emmer, Jordan, and Donalds have publicly backed Johnson and previously declined to pursue leadership challenges. A source close to Jordan reiterated to Fox News Digital that the congressman is “not interested in challenging Johnson.”
Still, the memory of last year’s chaotic three-week fight to replace former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., lingers. Johnson emerged as the consensus choice after a divisive process that exposed deep rifts within the party.
Johnson’s ability to navigate these internal dynamics will be tested further in the coming weeks.
While he is expected to secure enough votes for his plan, the discontent among House conservatives serves as a warning sign of potential leadership challenges in the future.
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.
