Johnson expressed confidence in winning the speaker’s vote as he entered the Capitol on Friday.
Asked by ABC News if he will succeed in the first round, he replied: “I think so.”
But privately, House leadership sources say, they are also preparing for the very real possibility of a floor fight, with multiple rounds of voting.
House Speaker Mike Johnson leaves his office in the US Capitol on January 3, 2025 in Washington.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
In 2023, McCarthy needed 15 rounds of voting and several concessions to be elected speaker.
Johnson has been adamant that he won’t do backroom deals to keep his job. And moderate Republicans have publicly warned Johnson not to lean too much on undecided votes on the right.
-ABC News’ Jay O’Brien
