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Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) appears to be bucking President-elect Trump’s endorsement of Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), whom he criticized in a social media post as a “potato” like President Biden.
“I respect and support President Trump, but his endorsement of Mike Johnson is going to work out about as well as his endorsement of Speaker Paul Ryan,” Massie posted Monday on the social platform X.
Massie made his post not too long after Trump offered his complete and total endorsement of Johnson earlier Monday.
The House is set to vote Friday on a new Speaker, and Trump’s endorsement was seen as a key moment for Johnson.
Trump said Johnson is a “good, hard working, religious man,” noting he believes the Louisiana lawmaker will “do the right thing.”
Massie has publicly said he won’t back Johnson, and it does not appear Trump’s endorsement will sway him.
In his post Monday, Massie said Johnson partnered with Democrats to send money to Ukraine for its war against Russia and to “authorize spying on Americans,” and he argued the Speaker has blown the budget.
In a follow-up post on Monday, Massie wrote: “For months Democrats ignored the fact that Joe Biden was a potato. They convinced themselves that keeping him around was the pragmatic way to win the day. Too late did they admit the emperor had no clothes. Republicans are doing the same thing by keeping Speaker Mike Johnson.”
If Massie votes against Johnson, the Speaker can only afford one more vote against him if all House members are present.
Several other conservatives haven’t committed to voting for Johnson.
Massie previously told The Hill he wouldn’t back Johnson due to “all the grievances I had this summer, when we tried to vacate.” He also said the recent continuing resolution bill was another reason he was rebuking Johnson’s Speakership.
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