Johnson's Fight for Gavel May Affect Trump Certification

The new House convenes on Friday, with a major question hanging in the balance: Will Mike Johnson remain as speaker? Johnson has the endorsement of President-elect Trump, but he still may not have the necessary votes given the GOP's razor-thin margin. Coverage:

• The math: The House's first order of business will be to elect a speaker. It would take only two GOP defections to deny Johnson the post, reports the AP.
• Massie's push: GOP Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky already has promised to vote against Johnson. The libertarian congressman objects to Johnson's compromises with Democrats on spending plans and aid to Ukraine, among other things, per CNN. And he says Trump's endorsement isn't enough to change his mind. Nearly a dozen others haven't yet committed to backing Johnson, the outlet notes.

• Massie's push, II: In a Wall Street Journal profile, the 53-year-old Massie shrugs off the pressure from fellow Republicans. "I don't know how to say this without cussing," he says. "If they thought I had no F's to give before, I definitely have no F's to give now." It's a reference to the death of his wife last year, which he says has put politics in perspective. "What do I have to lose." Another assessment from the profile: "Many lawmakers dismiss Massie as a fringe figure ... but Massie has also shown a flair for turning one-man stands into political wins."
• Certification wrinkle: The House is due to certify Donald Trump's election victory on Monday, and it's unclear how that can happen if a speaker isn't in place. A speaker-less House doesn't have the authority to do much until somebody is elected, meaning the chamber might have to tweak its own rules to allow certification to take place, per the New York Post. In theory, a lack of speaker could delay Trump's certification and slow what the president-elect has hoped would be a fast start to enact his agenda by the new Congress, notes the New York Times.
• Familiar voice: Former GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz, who led the ouster of Kevin McCarthy that resulted in Johnson getting the speakership, has weighed in on the latest fight. The Trump ally declared that resistance to Johnson "is now futile," per the Post.

(More Thomas Massie stories.)