GOP House Speaker Faces Uphill Battle as Party Infighting Grows

House Speaker Mike Johnson is finding it tough to keep his party united. He's asking fellow Republicans to keep their complaints private, but many are speaking out publicly. This week, tensions boiled over as a member of Johnson's own leadership team accused him of lying. Meanwhile, rank-and-file Republicans are pushing for votes on issues they care about, and a leadership-backed bill stumbled. Johnson has been in a tough spot lately. He managed to pass some of President Donald Trump's priorities earlier this year, but things have gotten more difficult. After a long government shutdown, members returned eager to work on backlogged priorities, but they're also worried about losing their majority next year. Some Republicans are using discharge petitions to force votes on important issues. This includes releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files and repealing Trump's executive order on federal labor unions. GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida even started a petition to ban members of Congress from trading stock. She's not happy with how things are going and made her feelings known on social media. At the heart of Johnson's pleas for privacy is New York Rep. Elise Stefanik. She's upset that a provision she supported wasn't included in a defense bill and publicly called Johnson a liar. Johnson says he talked to Stefanik about it, but it's unclear if she apologized. Democrats are enjoying the GOP's disarray. They point out that House Republicans are struggling to get things done. Meanwhile, Republicans are worried about losing the House in 2026. A recent special election in Tennessee showed that the political winds might not be in their favor. Some Republicans, like Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, are calling for economic progress and a temporary health care fix. Others, like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, are resigning, citing frustration with the legislative process. With more open seats to defend and redistricting battles backfiring, the GOP's challenge is growing.