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In today’s edition, one of our resident Capitol Hill experts, Scott Wong, breaks down the political fallout from a major leadership shakeup at a key House committee initiated by Speaker Mike Johnson. Plus, Matt Dixon reports from Florida on the appointment to replace Marco Rubio in the Senate — though that hasn’t stopped GOP jockeying for the seat ahead of 2026.
— Adam Wollner
Less than two weeks after Mike Johnson narrowly secured the speakership after a brief revolt from the right, he’s now drawing ire from the opposite wing of the Republican Party.
Johnson sent shockwaves around Capitol Hill when he decided to oust Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio — a staunch NATO supporter who has aggressively pushed for U.S. aid to Ukraine — as chair of the House Intelligence Committee and replace him with Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Ark., a conservative who voted against the most recent Ukraine aid package.
It’s a move that appeased conservatives and allies of President-elect Donald Trump, but infuriated the GOP’s more moderate members.
One lawmaker who, like Turner, is a member of the Main Street Caucus, said the unexpected swap at the intelligence panel has eroded trust within the Republican conference and could make it much harder to pass Trump’s agenda. With two House Republicans up for positions in the Trump administration, the party’s majority could soon shrink to 217-215 — giving Johnson just a one-seat cushion on party-line votes.
These Republicans said they were giving Johnson an earful after Turner’s removal became public.
“This hurts us in the reconciliation process,” said the lawmaker, referring to the expedited budget process Republicans plan to use to pass legislation related to Trump’s pledges on taxes, the border and energy costs. “Looks like backroom politics and backstabbing.”
A second GOP lawmaker, one who had a recent conversation with Turner, predicted the ousted chairman would make life difficult for Johnson in the coming year and could be in a position to halt Republicans’ entire agenda if he chooses to do so. Turner did not participate in House votes on Wednesday or Thursday.
“I think Turner will burn the House down,” the second lawmaker said. “He will be a no vote on everything. I mean, he just got totally f—–.”
The intraparty drama, which comes just days before Trump takes his oath of office at the Capitol, underscores how challenging the next year will be for Johnson.
Read more on Johnson’s move →
➡️ Elsewhere on Capitol Hill: Four of Trump’s Cabinet picks — Scott Bessent for treasury secretary, Doug Burgum for interior secretary, Lee Zeldin for EPA administrator and Scott Turner for housing and urban development secretary — faced Senate confirmation hearings Thursday, while witnesses testified on behalf of Pam Bondi, Trump’s pick for attorney general.
Get caught up on all the key moments here →
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his long-awaited pick to fill the Senate seat held by Marco Rubio, who’s in line to be the next secretary of state. But with Senate vacancies — and in Donald Trump’s Republican Party — the appointment is rarely the end of the story.
DeSantis selected state Attorney General Ashley Moody, Matt Dixon reported, elevating a longtime ally. The appointment will run through the next two years, with a special election in 2026 for the final two years of Rubio’s term.
Other Republicans in the reddening state are interested in taking a run at the seat, and appointees are never as secure in that first primary as other incumbents. And what Trump has to say is sure to matter a lot, given his influence in Republican primaries and the way he seems to savor jumping into those contests.
GOP Rep. Cory Mills, who has previously signaled his intent to run in the special election, previewed an argument he may well make to Trump in the near future when speaking to reporters at the Capitol after Moody’s appointment.
“We assumed that Ashley was gonna get it,” Mills said. “She’s been a DeSantis loyalist from the very beginning. She had endorsed Gov. DeSantis over President Trump in the presidential primary. But it’ll make a very interesting 2026.”
The same dynamics are hanging over Vice President-elect JD Vance’s old Senate seat in Ohio, which is now sitting vacant after his resignation. Gov. Mike DeWine, a pre-MAGA Republican serving out his final term, has yet to make a decision, with Trump ally Vivek Ramaswamy entering the mix alongside a longtime DeWine ally, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, and a handful of other contenders, as Henry J. Gomez has reported.
Senate appointments can be legacy moments, and no governor wants to see their pick undone by primary politics. There will be two more tests on that front coming in 2026.
☀️Elsewhere in the Sunshine State: Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., has been telling potential donors and Florida political players that he is running for governor in 2026. Read more →
That’s all From the Politics Desk for now. Thanks to Faith Wardwell for helping compile today’s newsletter.
If you have feedback — likes or dislikes — email us at politicsnewsletter@nbcuni.com
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