Catie Edmondson

Yeah, that's exactly right. I think lawmakers were largely pretty relieved to see that they were able to all come together here, complete their ceremony without any major events. But I also think at the same time, you'd be kidding yourself if you pointed to this particular vote.

Yeah, that's exactly right. I think lawmakers were largely pretty relieved to see that they were able to all come together here, complete their ceremony without any major events. But I also think at the same time, you'd be kidding yourself if you pointed to this particular vote.

and said, well, Congress is going to be a pretty drama-free institution, a pretty united institution moving forward, when in fact, you only have to look back to the vote that played out on the House floor on Friday with the re-election of Mike Johnson to the speakership to see there are some pretty raw divisions within the House Republican Conference that are likely going to animate this Congress moving forward.

and said, well, Congress is going to be a pretty drama-free institution, a pretty united institution moving forward, when in fact, you only have to look back to the vote that played out on the House floor on Friday with the re-election of Mike Johnson to the speakership to see there are some pretty raw divisions within the House Republican Conference that are likely going to animate this Congress moving forward.

Well, really, Michael, this is the continuation of the story that you and I have talked about for so long now, which is that there is this group of ultra-conservative, anti-spending fiscal hawks in the House Republican Conference who feel that they have been again and again let down by House Republican leadership.

Well, really, Michael, this is the continuation of the story that you and I have talked about for so long now, which is that there is this group of ultra-conservative, anti-spending fiscal hawks in the House Republican Conference who feel that they have been again and again let down by House Republican leadership.

When it comes to matters of government spending, these are the guys who voted to oust Kevin McCarthy when he was Speaker. And this time, when it came to the re-election of Speaker Mike Johnson, they decided to play the role of the thorn in his side yet again.

When it comes to matters of government spending, these are the guys who voted to oust Kevin McCarthy when he was Speaker. And this time, when it came to the re-election of Speaker Mike Johnson, they decided to play the role of the thorn in his side yet again.

So on paper, it should have been a glide path for Johnson. But these ultra conservatives for months now have been nursing the same grievance against Johnson that they had against McCarthy, which is that when it comes to keeping the government open, avoiding a shutdown, passing these massive spending bills, both Johnson and McCarthy routinely relied on Democratic votes to keep spending levels flat.

So on paper, it should have been a glide path for Johnson. But these ultra conservatives for months now have been nursing the same grievance against Johnson that they had against McCarthy, which is that when it comes to keeping the government open, avoiding a shutdown, passing these massive spending bills, both Johnson and McCarthy routinely relied on Democratic votes to keep spending levels flat.

And it is something that has just infuriated these hard right Republicans. The other factor that was working against Johnson here is that he had an extraordinarily thin margin in the House. So in order to win the speakership on Friday, he was able to lose just one Republican. And we knew going into the vote that, in fact, he already had lost at least one Republican.

And it is something that has just infuriated these hard right Republicans. The other factor that was working against Johnson here is that he had an extraordinarily thin margin in the House. So in order to win the speakership on Friday, he was able to lose just one Republican. And we knew going into the vote that, in fact, he already had lost at least one Republican.

We knew that Congressman Thomas Massey of Kentucky was going to vote against him.

We knew that Congressman Thomas Massey of Kentucky was going to vote against him.

Exactly. And so that meant that he could not afford to lose anyone else on the House floor during that vote. And we got our first sort of inkling that there was going to be real trouble for him on this first ballot early on.

Exactly. And so that meant that he could not afford to lose anyone else on the House floor during that vote. And we got our first sort of inkling that there was going to be real trouble for him on this first ballot early on.

Adams. There are a number of Freedom Caucus members whose last names start with B or C, which is relevant only insofar as the roll call is called alphabetically.

Adams. There are a number of Freedom Caucus members whose last names start with B or C, which is relevant only insofar as the roll call is called alphabetically.

And so lo and behold, Biggs of Arizona. We get to Representative Andy Biggs of Arizona. His name is called out. And he doesn't respond.

And so lo and behold, Biggs of Arizona. We get to Representative Andy Biggs of Arizona. His name is called out. And he doesn't respond.