A series of events in the past few weeks has undercut what little power Johnson ever had among his fellow Republicans in the House. GOP representatives – the group that he theoretically leads – are so angry that they publicly call him names. Republicans are using parliamentary procedures to get votes on bills that Johnson doesn’t want to bring to the floor.
Incumbents panicking over the potential to lose their seats, in a Democratic landslide, are blaming Johnson for their problems. He has to make promises he must know he can’t keep to get bills passed. And Donald Trump is doing nothing to help Johnson in his time of need.
I gotta once again ask every pundit who is convinced the Speaker is on his way out… who did the GOP plan to replace him with? Like, the entire appeal of Johnson is that he’s a mediocre compromise who offends nobody in the Republican House Caucus. He never had much power to begin with, which is why the House legislative output in 2025 has been relatively lackluster.
At the same time, getting votes on bills in the House that are unlikely to survive the floor and will inevitably fail (or simply be ignored) in the Senate isn’t a problem for Johnson. The biggest benefit of being Speaker - for Johnson anyway - is the pay and benefits, as he is one of the poorest House Speakers in history.
I’m sure I’m not the first person to remark upon Johnson being one of the dumbest men to hold the job. Even former gym coach and child sex predator Denny Hastert figured out how to make a few million under the table during his tenure.
I just don’t see any strong reason for as useful an idiot as Johnson to leave his post, unless someone who can make better use of the position can step up. In a legislature that’s increasingly irrelevant to the running of the federal government, there’s very little appetite for a Strong Speaker and very little profit in failing to negotiate changes to legislation on your party’s behalf.
Punditry pays well and Cox Media Group seems to own a lot of outlets.
Trump has always been somehow untouchable, but the same could never be said about Johnson, and he makes a great fall guy for everyone’s ire at Trump.
But the key here is, no one in congress on either side really wants Johnson to be in line for the presidency should Trump’s health issues, or pedophillia, finally catch up to him. Especially with the couch fucker around and not being popular except with Nazis.
I don’t think the problem with Johnson is untouchable. I just think he’s in the role because there’s nobody better to replace him with.
Also, I just don’t think “Trump dying in office” is a serious part of anyone’s math.