All Democrats are expected to be at the Capitol on Friday to vote on the seat of the next Speaker of the House, according to the House Democrats’ office.
Full Democratic participation is significant given the razor-thin majorities in the House and threats from some conservative Republicans to oppose the attempt by Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.), the current speaker, to retain the gavel of the 119th. Congress.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) is already vowing to vote for someone other than Johnson on the floor Friday, meaning another GOP defection would deny Johnson the uncomplicated majority of voting members needed to vote to secure the speaker’s office – if at all. Democrats are present and voting for their preferred speaker: Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (DN.Y.).
With even one Democrat absent, Johnson can afford two defections from the Republican Party and still win the gavel. If three Democrats don’t participate, he could afford three.
This animated has made the question of Democratic attendance a topic of great interest in Washington – an issue fueled by health problems among a diminutive handful of Democratic lawmakers. That list includes Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Arizona), who has spent much of the past year being treated for lung cancer, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who recently underwent hip replacement surgery with a U.S. military member is hospitalized in Germany after falling in Luxembourg last month.
Pelosi on Thursday morning I posted a compact message on the social platform X from a plane that she said was on the way to Washington. And the office of Rep. Katherine Clark (R-Mass.), the Democratic caucus leader, said party leaders expected all caucus members to be present for Friday’s vote.
