Mike Johnson, afraid of alienating his right flank, is trying to thread a needle to keep the government open and keep the speaker’s gavel come January.

Massie's breakaway could be important because the GOP is expecting a slim 220-215 majority in the next Congress, which takes office Jan. 3.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) is fending off problems already - namely, corralling a characteristically unruly House Republican Conference to pass a bill that will avoid a government shutdown this weekend. But that could be just the beginning of Johnson’s problems in the weeks and months to come.