Arizona Rep. John Ciscomani (R) confirmed his support for Speaker Mike Johnson while also emphasizing the importance of having a House leader who can “actually deliver” and “keep our conference united.”
Ciscomani, in a Tuesday NewsNation interview, said he was “grateful for the speaker’s support” throughout his campaign and has a good relationship with him. He also stressed the importance of having a House leader who can keep Republicans united “now as we have the trifecta, and the American people trusted us with this.”
“Beside what happens on the campaign trail, we’re down for work here, we’re down for business. So, for me it’s a matter of who can actually deliver and keep our conference unified,” he added. “We saw the challenge of that last Congress; we don’t want to see that again this Congress.”
Johnson entered the speakership under tense terms last year after Republicans ousted former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) for the first time in history.
Johnson also faced an ouster threat in May — led by Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.). The effort failed overwhelmingly after Democrats and Republicans joined forces to kill it.
Johnson has said he wants to continue serving as Speaker if Republicans keep control of the lower chamber. But hardline conservatives are planning to involve forcing a secret, recorded vote on Johnson’s nomination to make their reservations regarding Johnson’s leadership clear.
Johnson has remained confident that he will be re-elected as House Speaker and gave a sweeping address to the nation on the steps of the Capitol after Republicans won the trifecta on Tuesday, describing the 119th Congress as potentially the most “consequential” of the “modern era.”
Ciscomani said the party’s unity will be essential to successfully accomplishing new tasks.
“There’s always going to be a difference of opinions and all that, but we can manage that. We cannot have the division we had last Congress that can only hurt us especially now as we have the trifecta,” Ciscomani added about the new class of lawmakers.
“We have to deliver; the responsibility is on us.”
He has high hopes for the races that have not yet been called although he noted, “competitive districts are harder to flip.” But Ciscomani said GOP members will “work” collectively with a majority, regardless of size.
“Would we like a broader majority? Of course, but we will be able to work with whatever majority we have,” he concluded.
NewsNation is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which also owns The Hill.