Johnson faces opposition from potential speakership contenders as conservatives protest government funding proposal.

Rewritten: Sources have revealed that some House GOP members who are critical of Speaker Mike Johnson's approach to government funding negotiations are already discussing potential opponents.

Early discussions about alternatives included House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla.

According to a source close to Donald, the Congressman has not yet made any statements regarding the future of House leadership.

A spokesperson for Emmer stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that Emmer supports Speaker Johnson and is concentrating on fulfilling the duties he was elected to carry out.

The same individuals were contacted by Planet Chronicle Digital for comment.

One lawmaker stated that not hearing from any of the three would be suicidal.

The latest warning shot from Republican lawmakers who are vehemently opposed to the short-term spending bill, known as a continuing resolution (CR), is the discussions about potential rivals to Johnson in the Jan. 3, 2025 House-wide speaker vote.

The 1,547-page CR was released by Congressional leaders on Tuesday evening following last-minute negotiations that pushed back its initial release date of Sunday.

Conservatives and House GOP hardliners have been pushing back fiercely against the legislation, with many expressing frustration over the unrelated policy riders attached to the funding extension.

The bill prevents a government shutdown until March 14, includes provisions on health care and ethanol fuel, provides over $100 billion in disaster aid funding, and funds the rebuilding of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge and lawmakers' first pay raise since 2009.

Several GOP lawmakers indicated on Tuesday that Johnson may face opposition to his leadership on the CR.

On Tuesday, a third House Republican anonymously told Planet Chronicle Digital that the speaker has both "no" votes and people considering their options.

When asked if Johnson could face backlash on January 3rd, Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., stated, "There will always be consequences."

Johnson has the support of Emmer, Jordan, and Donalds in terms of potential speakership challenges.

According to a source close to Jordan, the Ohio Republican has no intention of challenging Johnson.

After ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was removed from his position, three individuals ran for House Speaker last year. Johnson eventually emerged victorious after a tumultuous three-week battle.

The Louisiana Republican, chosen unanimously by Republicans to be their speaker last month, has the support of President-elect Trump, which may minimize backlash.

Despite the agreement among most in Congress that a partial government shutdown over the holidays would have a negative impact, he is still expected to obtain a significant number of GOP lawmakers' votes for his plan.

On Wednesday, both Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy criticized the CR plan, which is also facing opposition from members of Trump's orbit.

Any legislator who supports this extravagant spending bill should be removed from office in two years, according to Musk's statement on X.

Concerns about his job began to build on Tuesday, and Johnson dismissed them.

""We're governing and facing difficult circumstances. Despite this, we're doing our best," he said."

The speaker and his allies maintained that they achieved the best possible outcome while managing only one-sixth of the government, and pledged that Republicans would have a stronger hand in managing federal funds when the CR expired at the start of Trump's term.