Mike Johnson Is Struggling to Keep Control of His Party

“I just think after 50 days of being away, there was no continuity. Nobody was there. Nobody was saying, ‘Hey, you’re doing great. Keep it up,'” the lawmaker continued. “With everyone back in their districts, there was a certain loneliness. Many members perhaps felt like we were alone.”

Johnson shocked the halls of Congress when he was catapulted to the role of House leader in late 2023, replacing former Speaker Kevin McCarthy in the middle of a historically divided caucus. This was possible, in part, because Johnson was a relative unknown with virtually no enemies. But that is no longer the case.

In recent weeks, Johnson has made enemies among Reps. Elise Stefanik, Anna Paulina Luna and Marjorie Taylor Greene on issues ranging from his reluctant release of the Epstein files to his resistance to bipartisan insider trading legislation.