If you know one thing about the speaker of the House of Representatives, it is probably that the role is the most powerful position in the lower chamber of Congress. And if you know two things about the speakership, the second is probably that you do not need to be a member of Congress to be elected to fill it.
Johnson needs the support of 218 lawmakers to be reelected speaker. That support must come from his Republican conference, given that Democrats will back Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) for the role.
Starting the year with just a 219-seat majority — following the resignation last month of Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) — Johnson can lose support from only one Republican to win the speakership. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) has already pledged to vote against him, meaning that Johnson must win over all remaining Republicans.
