Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) affirmed his decision to not support Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) in the Speaker’s race, even if his colleague Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) would land a top spot on the House Rules Commitee.
Massie was asked by former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), a new host on One America News Network, if he would vote for Johnson if Roy would become the chairman of the influential committee.
“Oh no. You can pull all my fingernails out, you can shove bamboo up in them, you can start cutting off my fingers,” Massie responded late Thursday.
“I am not voting for Mike Johnson tomorrow, and you can take that to the bank,” he told his former colleague.
The Kentucky Republican has openly voiced his opposition to Johnson’s Speakership bid in recent weeks, arguing the top House Republican is not up to the job and would eventually cost the party their razor-thin majority if he keeps the gavel.
“[We] want a Speaker who inspires the public and who can make our case in the media, so we can keep the majority for the second half of Trump’s term,” Massie previously wrote on social platform X.
“Johnson nearly led us to the minority in what was a banner year for Trump,” he continued. “He is certain to lose us the majority in 2026.”
Apart from Massie, there are at least half of dozen hard-line conservatives who have not publicly voiced support for the Louisiana Republican, as the 119th Congress convenes for the first time Friday afternoon.
Potential holdouts include GOP Reps. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Tim Burchett (Tenn.), Lauren Boebert (Colo.), Eric Burlison (Mo.), Ralph Norman (S.C.), Scott Perry (Pa.), Andy Harris (Md.), Roy and others — some of whom Johnson met with on Thursday. Another wild card is Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.), who said she will decide who to back during the vote.
Johnson has, however, received an endorsement from President-elect Trump and key ally Elon Musk.
“Speaker Mike Johnson is a good, hard working, religious man. He will do the right thing, and we will continue to WIN. Mike has my Complete & Total Endorsement. MAGA!” Trump wrote Monday in a post on Truth Social.
Johnson can only stand to lose one Republican vote on Friday — if all are present — or risk losing his top spot. Democrats, some of whom backed the Speaker when his gavel was challenged in May last year, are likely to vote for their preferred leader, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.).
The entire Democratic caucus is expected to be in attendance on Friday.
