House Republican hard-liners vowed to deprive Speaker Mike Johnson of the needed votes should he try to force party’s domestic policy megabill through the House overnight — just before Johnson ordered votes to move forward.
The ultimatum came after House Freedom Caucus huddled among themselves following hours of negotiating Wednesday with GOP leaders, who had said they were making progress with the holdouts and planned to grind forward with a vote. If enough Freedom Caucus members withhold their votes, the “rule” — the procedural measure providing for final floor consideration of the megabill — will fail.
Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert indicated she’s sticking with her fellow Freedom Caucus members on any rule vote.
“Not tonight,” she said, before several of the hard-liners huddled again, this time in Johnson’s office.
President Donald Trump had a different view: “It looks like the House is ready to vote tonight,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform. “We had GREAT conversations all day, and the Republican House Majority is UNITED, for the Good of our Country, delivering the Biggest Tax Cuts in History and MASSIVE Growth. Let’s go Republicans, and everyone else – MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Johnson indicated earlier Wednesday he planned to move forward with votes, and members were advised around 9:20 p.m. that he would stick to that plan and dare the holdouts to oppose Trump, as some in his leadership circle have been counseling.
