Speaker Johnson amid criticism: ‘Mess’ in House not ‘a reflection on the leader’

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Wednesday downplayed problems in the House GOP conference a day after his leadership team lost two votes in a row on the House floor.

Asked Wednesday about criticism that he is inexperienced and remarks from Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who said the ouster of Johnson’s predecessor, Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) had been an “unmitigated disaster,” Johnson suggested the conference was moving in the right direction.

“Well, look, it was a mess what happened here, but we’re cleaning it up,” Johnson said.

“Massie is one of my dear friends,” Johnson added. “I don’t think that this is a reflection on the leader. It’s a reflection on the body itself, and the place where we’ve come in this country. Look, the nation is divided.”

The House GOP woke up Tuesday morning thinking it was going to vote to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Instead, it fell one vote short on the floor after the surprise appearance of a Democratic lawmaker and three Republican “no” votes.