No-shows and holdouts define Johnson's shaky majority
Source: Roll Call
Posted January 13, 2026 at 7:39pm
As House Republicans’ narrow margin becomes even narrower, leaders are banking on near-perfect floor vote attendance during the final sprint to pass government funding bills and advance their agenda before the midterms. But even that might not be enough, as they discovered Tuesday night.
“They better be here. I mean, I’ve told everybody, and not in jest, I said, ‘No adventure sports, no risk-taking, take your vitamins and stay healthy and be here.’ I mean, this is what we’re gonna be doing all year long,” Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said after six of his members helped tank a worker education bill.
Although three Republicans missed floor action on that bill, which was defeated 209-215, their votes still wouldn’t have been enough to overcome opposition among their own ranks. After the defeat, Johnson canceled votes scheduled later that night on two other measures, citing GOP concerns. “This is life with a small margin,” Johnson added.
Two members said this week they’ll miss votes for an undetermined amount of time, with Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., citing his own surgery and Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., pointing to his wife’s. Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, who is running for Senate, also was a no-show Tuesday night.
Read more: https://rollcall.com/2026/01/13/no-shows-holdouts-johnson-shaky-majority/
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