With the looming threat of a far-right rebellion against the re-election of House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), GOP leadership is weighing emergency measures to ensure the certification of Donald Trump’s presidency next week, according to a CNN report. This “emergency break glass option” is being discussed as a contingency plan in case the House fails to elect a speaker by Friday.
Currently, Rep. Tom Massie (R-KY) has definitively stated he will not vote for Johnson, with up to 14 other Republican members expressing uncertainty about re-electing the Louisiana conservative. These defections have caused concern within the GOP, as Johnson’s support appears to be weakening, leaving the party without a clear path forward.
To address the potential impasse, leadership is considering an extraordinary “break the glass” scenario, which would involve convening an emergency session to ensure the certification of Trump’s presidential votes.
This move would be seen as a way to bypass the lack of a speaker if no decision is reached by the end of the week. Such a session would serve as a crucial step in formally recognizing Trump as president, especially after the certification was violently interrupted four years ago by Trump’s supporters, who stormed the Capitol and forced lawmakers into hiding.
However, CNN reports that the idea of this special session faces significant opposition within the party. Many institutionalist Republicans view the emergency option as a difficult sell, given the procedural and political hurdles involved. This resistance raises doubts about whether the plan will materialize.
If the emergency session does not occur, the Republican majority in the House may simply wait out the speaker leadership dispute, knowing they have until the scheduled January 20 inauguration to resolve the issue. In the meantime, the GOP faces increasing pressure to resolve both the leadership crisis and the looming certification of Trump’s election, as the clock ticks down to the new year.