Republican representative Elise Stefanik, an ally to Pres Trump is criticizing House Speaker Mike Johnson:
- He is an ineffective leader who is losing control over the GOP conference heading into the midterm elections
- He certainly wouldn't have the votes to be speaker if a roll call vote was made tomorrow.
- Believes that a majority of the Republicans would vote for new leadership. It is widespread.
Republican Matt Van Epps won Tuesday’s special election in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, defeating Democrat Aftyn Behn by roughly nine points in a race that drew national attention. Although the GOP held the seat, the margin was far narrower than expected—Donald Trump carried the district by more than 20 points in 2024, and former Representative Mark Green had won by a similar margin.
This substantial Democratic overperformance has raised eyebrows, suggesting potential vulnerability for Republicans heading into the 2026 midterms. The contest became a test of voter sentiment, attracting significant outside spending and high-profile support. While Republicans avoided losing a traditionally safe district, the result serves as a warning sign that they may face tighter races even in strongholds, whereas Democrats may feel increasingly emboldened to compete more aggressively across the map.
The problem for the Democrats is the leadership. Who will step up.
The problem for the Republicans is has the sheen come off Pres. Trump despite the arguments from Trump ally that it is the speaker Someone has to be blamed and it is Mike Johnson.
I would prefer both sides coming off the extremes, move in the middle and unite vs divide. Then let the policy fall where it falls without being an "us vs them" but instead what is good for all of America to move forward. The best teams, are united teams.
