Speaker Johnson's challenge in maintaining control of the House floor

WASHINGTON With the 2026 midterm elections approaching, House Speaker Mike Johnson is encountering increasing difficulties maintaining control over legislative proceedings. The Louisiana Republican recently faced a significant setback when Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., along with three GOP women, joined Democrats to push through a near-unanimous vote to release the Jeffrey Epstein documents to the public, defying Johnsons leadership.

Massies success has inspired other Republicans to attempt similar maneuvers around the speaker. This week, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., submitted a discharge petition to force a vote on a bipartisan bill banning members of Congress from owning or trading individual stocks. Nine Republicans and six Democrats have signed the petition, though it remains far short of the 218 signatures needed to bypass leadership. The effort is notable, as it is rare for majority party members to employ discharge petitions against their own leadership.

Moderate Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, has indicated he may file his own petitions, one targeting U.S. sanctions on Russia and another extending expiring Obamacare subsidies if leadership does not act by the December 31 deadline. Were not afraid to use that option, Fitzpatrick stated, emphasizing that discharge petitions are a tool for rank-and-file members, not just the minority.

Johnson also faced a setback when his team pulled the SCORE Act, which aimed to create federal standards for compensating student athletes, from the House floor after opposition from conservative Republicans led by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas. Meanwhile, some rank-and-file members have been pushing votes to censure colleagues, including Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., targeting fellow Republican Rep. Cory Mills of Florida.

Part of Johnsons difficulty stems from presiding over one of the smallest Republican majorities in history. Following the swearing-in of Rep. Matt Van Epps, R-Tenn., Republicans hold a 220-213 advantage over Democrats, meaning only three defections on any bill can be tolerated. Senior Republicans describe the current turbulence as the result of multiple factors: declining Trump approval ratings, strong Democratic performance in recent state elections, and limited legislative activity during a 54-day House recess.

Despite the challenges, Johnson maintains a calm demeanor and insists the party continues to advance an aggressive agenda. Sometimes theres friction, sometimes theres vigorous debate. Thats all part of the process, Johnson told reporters, emphasizing that disagreements do not deter him and encouraging members to communicate directly rather than through social media.

Johnson has supporters as well, including Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, who praised the speakers alignment with President Trump and questioned who could replace him if needed. However, discharge petitions, which rarely succeed, are increasingly being used by members seeking legislative victories amid gridlock. Only 4% of discharge petitions from 1935 to 2022 resulted in bills reaching the floor.

The recent push for the stock trading ban, led by Luna, has drawn bipartisan support from Reps. Fitzpatrick, Mace, Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., Eli Crane, R-Ariz., Greg Steube, R-Fla., Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., and Zach Nunn, R-Iowa. Achieving the necessary 218 signatures remains uncertain, as many lawmakers hold investments affected by the bill.

Johnsons leadership has also been challenged on the SCORE Act, with Roy and several conservatives opposing the legislation and nearly blocking a procedural vote. There were a whole lot of no votes, Roy said, noting that many members felt unprepared to advance the bill.

Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., highlighted the frustration that drives some Republicans to bypass leadership. For some Republicans, their priorities are not being addressed by their leadership, and so theyre going around their leadership, McGovern explained, acknowledging the growing use of discharge petitions in response to a stalled legislative process.

Author: Benjamin Carter