WASHINGTON — Before last month’s recess, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Crescent Springs, pledged to vote for someone other than Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., for House speaker. House when the new session of Congress begins Friday.
“He doesn’t have my vote and I think he’s losing political capital every second,” Massie said on December 18.
For months, Massie has openly criticized Johnson, saying the Louisiana Republican isn’t up to the task.
Massie was part of a push last year to oust Johnson as president, in part because of Johnson’s work with Democrats to provide billions in foreign aid.
The effort failed to attract enough support.
In a social network job On Monday, President-elect Donald Trump threw his support behind Johnson.
Newt Gingrich, former Republican House Speaker critical whom he called “contrarian Republicans in the House,” saying, “I challenge them to explain what their purpose is other than noise.”
But Massie only has double on his opposition, saying Johnson “won by being the least objectionable candidate, and he no longer holds that title.”
It is unclear who Massie plans to support for president in Friday’s vote.
He said last month he had a few people in mind.
A fellow Kentucky Republican, Sen. Rand Paul, is also blasting Johnson, calling it “pathetic” that the President voted against legislation last year requiring a warrant for foreign surveillance.