• Leadership team member Elise Stefanik publicly accuses Johnson of lying about blocking her defense bill provision
• Rep. Anna Paulina Luna launches discharge petition to bypass speaker on stock trading ban, says she’s “pissed”
• Democrats celebrate GOP disarray as Tennessee special election shows continued electoral warning signs

WASHINGTON, D.C. (TDR) — House Speaker Mike Johnson is imploring his fellow Republicans to stop venting their frustrations in public and bring their complaints to him directly, but increasingly, they are ignoring him entirely.

“They’re going to get upset about things. That’s part of the process,” Johnson told reporters Thursday. “It doesn’t bother me. But when there is a conflict or concern, I always ask all members to come to me, don’t go to social media.”

The plea comes after a tumultuous week that exposed deep cracks within the GOP conference, including a member of Johnson’s own leadership team openly accusing him of lying, rank-and-file Republicans acting unilaterally to force votes, and a leadership-backed bill faltering on the floor.

Stefanik Calls Out ‘More Lies from the Speaker’

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At the center of Johnson’s troubles is Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, the chairwoman of House Republican leadership who publicly accused the speaker of blocking her provision requiring FBI notification when counterintelligence investigations are opened against federal candidates.

“Just more lies from the Speaker. This is his preferred tactic to tell Members when he gets caught torpedoing the Republican agenda.”

Johnson claimed ignorance of the situation, telling reporters he texted Stefanik asking what she was talking about since the issue had not reached his level. Stefanik fired back that she did not believe him and that Johnson was “getting rolled” by House Democrats who oppose her provision.

The New York congresswoman, who is running for governor, threatened to vote against the National Defense Authorization Act unless her provision is restored, potentially dooming the must-pass defense policy bill given the razor-thin Republican majority.

Discharge Petitions Signal Broader Frustration

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The internal strife extends well beyond Stefanik. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida launched a discharge petition to force a floor vote on banning congressional stock trading, bypassing Johnson’s preferred regular order process.

When leadership suggested Luna was “anxious” about legislative progress, she responded forcefully on social media. “Anxious is what happens when you get nervous. I’m not nervous. I’m pissed,” Luna wrote.

Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina signed both Luna’s petition and an earlier successful effort to release the Jeffrey Epstein files. She told reporters she had expressed her frustrations directly to Johnson in a phone call and in what she described as “a deeply personal, deeply passionate letter.”

“We have a very slim majority, but I want President Trump’s executive orders codified,” Mace said. “Why do we have to legislate by discharge petitions?”

Electoral Warning Signs Compound Leadership Woes

The internal conflicts are underscored by growing worries that Republicans are on a path toward losing their majority next year. Tuesday’s special election in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District provided fresh evidence of Democratic momentum.

Republican Matt Van Epps won the seat by approximately nine points in a district that President Trump carried by 22 points just 13 months ago. The result required intervention from national Republican groups, including more than $1 million from Trump’s personal super PAC and a campaign appearance by Johnson himself.

Democrats have now over-performed by double digits in every special election for the House held in 2025, building on gubernatorial victories in New Jersey and Virginia last month.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries seized on the disarray. “It’s not that Congress can’t legislate, it’s House Republicans that can’t legislate,” he said. “It’s the gang that can’t legislate straight.”

Can Johnson restore order within his fractured conference before electoral headwinds and internal divisions cost Republicans their majority?

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