Rough Sledding for Speaker Mike Johnson

On Thursday morning, Punchbowl’s Jake Sherman reported that House Speaker Mike Johnson planned to endorse Montana representative Matt Rosendale’s quest to capture his state’s Republican senatorial nomination and square off against Senator Jon Tester in November. This would have pitted Johnson against not just Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and the committees he and his allies control but also nervous Republican donors who believe Rosendale’s nomination would only culminate in a reprise of his 2018 loss to Tester. In the end, however, Johnson changed course.

According to Politico’s Burgess Everett, following “some internal blowback (including from some Trump backers),” Johnson has decided that he “will not endorse Rosendale after all.” Everett’s colleague, Olivia Beavers, confirmed the about-face. “I can confirm that upon reflection, the speaker withdrew his endorsement largely based on the reality that Rosendale is the weaker candidate by far against Tester,” Montana representative Ryan Zinke told her.

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.

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On Thursday morning, Punchbowl’s Jake Sherman reported that House Speaker Mike Johnson planned to endorse Montana representative Matt Rosendale’s quest to capture his state’s Republican senatorial nomination and square off against Senator Jon Tester in November. This would have pitted Johnson against not just Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and the committees he and his allies control but also nervous Republican donors who believe Rosendale’s nomination would only culminate in a reprise of his 2018 loss to Tester. In the end, however, Johnson changed course.

According to Politico’s Burgess Everett, following “some internal blowback (including from some Trump backers),” Johnson has decided that he “will not endorse Rosendale after all.” Everett’s colleague, Olivia Beavers, confirmed the about-face. “I can confirm that upon reflection, the speaker withdrew his endorsement largely based on the reality that Rosendale is the weaker candidate by far against Tester,” Montana representative Ryan Zinke told her.

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.