New Congress to choose whether to keep Speaker JohnsonSpeaker Mike Johnson's first term as speaker comes to an end on Friday, and for him to retain his job, he is going to need Republicans to nearly unanimously get behind him.Assuming all 435 members of the House show up for the first day of the new congressional term, it will take 218 votes for someone like Johnson to become speaker.With all 215 Democrats expected to vote in support of Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Johnson can only afford to lose one GOP vote for the speakership. At least one Republican is expected to vote for someone else for speaker.Johnson enters Friday with the endorsement of President-elect Donald Trump.RELATED STORY | Biden awards Presidential Citizens Medal to leaders of House's Jan. 6 investigationRep. Thomas Massie, R-Kentucky, told the Cincinnati Enquirer that he would vote for another Republican instead of Johnson."I've decided that life is too short to play along with fake fights and to play along and take votes that people know are wrong," Massie told The Enquirer. "Almost all of my colleagues know that Mike Johnson is not equipped to be speaker, but nobody wants to say the emperor has no clothes."Massie also noted he would not vote "present." If two members of the House were to vote present, that would lower the threshold needed to become speaker to 217.The battle to become House Speaker is reminiscent of how the last congressional term began in 2023. With Republicans taking the House following the 2022 election, Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy seemed poised to become speaker.RELATED STORY | Why January might be one of the busiest months ever for US politicsAfter six days without a speaker, McCarthy made numerous concessions to a handful of Republicans standing in his way. On the 15th ballot, six Republicans voted present, with 216 voting in favor of McCarthy, allowing him to become speaker.But his tenure as speaker was short-lived. After McCarthy worked with Democrats and moderate Republicans on a bill to keep the government open in September 2023, eight Republicans joined the Democratic caucus in voting McCarthy out of the speakership.At first, Johnson did not appear on the ballot to become speaker. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio was initially the Republicans' top choice for the job.On the fourth ballot, Johnson won over enough votes to become speaker.Without a speaker, the House is unable to conduct business, such as considering legislation or holding committee hearings.