Speaker of the House election: How many Republican votes can Mike Johnson lose? [Video]

Johnson will need almost every Republican vote to win the House speaker’s gavel again.

With opposition from his own GOP colleagues, Johnson arrived with outward confidence after working into the night to sway hardline holdouts. A flop by Johnson could throw Monday’s congressional certification of Trump’s 2024 election victory into turmoil without a House speaker. Even backing from Trump himself, usually a sure bet for Republicans, was no guarantee Johnson will stay in power.

“We don’t have time for drama,” Johnson said as he walked into the Capitol.

The Louisiana Republican said the speaker election “is not just about one person but about moving forward with the America First agenda.”

And he had a renewed nod of support from Trump who told the speaker, “Good luck.”

“A win for Mike today will be a big win for the Republican Party,” Trump posted on social media.

What was once a ceremonial day with …