In tight vote for Speaker, Johnson could potentially sweep four GOP votes from Colorado

By / / Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice

A slight Republican margin in the U.S. House will make Speaker Mike Johnson’s re-election bid later this week potentially a must-see.

Republicans hold a 220-215 seat advantage in the U.S. House, but one Republican has resigned, and two other Republicans have indicated their opposition to Johnson. It takes 218 votes to win the Speaker vote. If Johnson is unable to swing either of the defectors, he doesn’t win the Speaker vote — assuming Democratic members don’t lend their support.

U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, is at least one who has withheld his support for Johnson thus far and told Fox News there were others. He has suggested alternative Speaker options of Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., or Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, both of whom have previously made unsuccessful bids for the post. Democrats are expected to put Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York, up for the post.

The U.S. House is set to convene Friday to consider the election of a Speaker. President-elect Donald J. Trump has led the effort to ensure that is Johnson, but his “total endorsement” hasn’t seemed to sway everyone.

So, how might Johnson fare among the Colorado delegation? He might have a chance to sweep Republicans votes, and therefore get a split of the state’s eight total House votes.

Gabe Evans’ election to the 8th District seat in Congress swings a vote Johnson would not likely have previously earned from Democrat Yadira Caraveo.

“We were elected to deliver results and uniting behind Mike Johnson for Speaker helps us do just that without delay,” Evans wrote on his Twitter/X account. “That’s why I will be voting for him for Speaker on Jan. 3.”

Republican Jeff Crank is another freshman from Colorado in the 5th District, representing El Paso County.

“The American people elected us to lead, not squabble,” he wrote on X. “I will be voting for Mike Johnson on Jan. 3. Let’s not blow this opportunity.”

Crank pointed out that Trump supports Johnson for Speaker, and that “Mike Johnson supports President Trump and his agenda.”

Roy said on Fox News that Johnson might not with the 1,500-page spending bill he first put forward in December, before Trump, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy defeated it in the court of public opinion.

The third freshman-elect is Jeff Hurd, who has not commented on his vote through X, but in all likelihood would support Johnson. The Speaker held fundraisers for Hurd in the 3rd District on the Western Slope, campaigned for him in places such as Aspen and Grand Junction, and joined Hurd in Washington, D.C., during the campaign.

“A hardworking, united Congress is what the American people deserve,” Evans additionally wrote on X. “Let’s get to work!”

The four Democratic members of the Colorado delegation to Congress would be expected to oppose any Republican Speaker. That would mean getting a split of the Colorado votes hinges on Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert’s support, who in one election shifted from the junior member of the Colorado Republican delegation to the most tenured among Colorado Republicans. It is an important vote for Johnson, considering he already may be short of the needed votes to be elected. Boebert’s a self-proclaimed MAGA Republican and ardent Trump supporter, now hailing from the most conservative region of the state in Northern and Eastern Colorado. Her cryptic posting Monday on X did not make it clear as to whether or not she would support Johnson.

“We will make this country greater than ever before in the new year,” she began. “There has been a lot of conversation going on and that’s fine — MAGA are the winners and we need to set our governing agenda. Nothing wrong with healthy debate, but I sure hope we’re all ready to WIN now!”

Some in the Freedom Caucus, of which she is a member, have complained Johnson has not held to his word on a few issues. Roy, for example, has noted the twice broken 72-hour rule for reading legislation just in December.

There are 63 new members of the House, with 30 of those Republicans. It represents a 14% influx of freshmen. And just two years ago, there were 74 new members representing a 17% turnover.