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.

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.

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.