When the House is at full capacity, the magic number required to become Speaker is 218. With the expected attendance, Johnson can only afford to lose one Republican. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) has already voiced his opposition, and several others remain undecided. A lower attendance and members voting “present” could provide Johnson with some flexibility. However, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) has publicly stated that his party will not assist Johnson, especially after the recent spending dispute.
Video footage of Nancy Pelosi on a plane, shared by her team, offered little insight into her current condition, including her mobility. Pelosi sustained a serious fall on December 13 during a US delegation trip to Luxembourg commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in the small nation situated between France, Germany, and Belgium. Representative Michael McCaul (R-Texas) recounted the incident, stating, “I was right next to her. She likes to wear very high heels. She was on one of the last steps of this marble staircase without a railing and lost her balance, falling to the ground.”
Following the fall, McCaul assisted Pelosi in standing up. Despite any discomfort, Pelosi posed for a group photo with the delegation, tightly holding McCaul’s hand and placing her left hand over her left hip. Pelosi, the fifth oldest member of the 118th Congress, was promptly taken to the hospital for a successful hip replacement procedure.
The incident occurred just over a week before the House of Representatives recessed, which meant Pelosi had not been seen in the Capitol following her injury. Nevertheless, she continued to wield her significant influence over House Democrats, reportedly advocating for Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) over Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) to lead the Oversight Committee. Pelosi has been a member of the House since 1987.
