Can Mike Johnson Tilt the Playing Field to Keep the House? w/ Rachel Bitecofer



Thom talks with political scientist and election forecaster, Rachel Bitecofer, about what if the most important person in the 2026 midterms isn’t a candidate, a governor, or even Mike Johnson himself—but the person Mike Johnson appoints to count the incoming members of Congress?

Please follow Rachel Bitecofer at:
Substack: substack.com/@thecycle
X: @RachelBitecofer
Bluesky: @rachelbitecofer.bsky.social

00:00 – Introduction
01:00 – House Clerk Strategy
03:00 – Election Litigation
06:00 – Texas House Races
08:30 – Subpoena Powers
11:00 – Public Pushback

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34 Comments

  1. Trump stands for corruption, inflation, billions in self-enrichment, extreme high healthcare costs,
    never ending expensive nonsense war with Iran, Non-publication of the Epstein files racism, endless lies,
    tax breaks for ai data center, bribery, tax reductions for billionaires, high gas prices etc etc etc

  2. Tom Hartman is kind of soft on Trump and his admin. A caller told him that when Trump said Iran should bomb Los Angeles and California that means he committed Treason. I wonder what Tom Hartman considers an act of treason. He uses words that really question him on his stand against this evil and traitor that is destroying the USA and the world.

  3. First vote and get everyone you can to vote blue or not vote Republican at least. Second, pay attention to election results to make sure no funny business. Third, prepare for a national strike if Trump/Republicans pull any major shenanigans.

  4. Russell Vought for prison. very very long prison sentence. Russy and mike little bible johnson need long long prison sentences. but dems will never prosecute anyone in high power becuase they dont want to hurt anyone feelings.

  5. Please make this too big to rig. We know Trump's crime family will not WANT to relinquish power and will try almost anything (they can get away with) to prevent it, but they can't stand against the fury that is coming for them.

  6. It's nice tho speculate for clicks but this whole not seating elected members come January is NOT going to happen. Mostly because Johnson won't be speaker on January 3rd 2027 at 12 noon. That's when the old congress is dissolved. The republicans are about to get crushed and they know it.

  7. No. Once it is noon….Johnson has absolutely ZERO authority, if the house is a dem majority, after the election. He is, in fact, a REGULAR CITIZEN. Zero authority/power.

  8. Can Johnson… yes. He has Article 1, Sec. 5 of the Constitution, and he has the internal House Clerk rule (clerk has to certify new members for swearing in and Johnson can put whoever he wants in that position).

  9. 2 U.S. Code § 25 – Oath of Speaker, Members, and Delegates

    At the first session of Congress after every general election of Representatives, the oath of office shall be administered by any Member of the House of Representatives to the Speaker; and by the Speaker to all the Members and Delegates present, and to the Clerk, previous to entering on any other business; and to the Members and Delegates who afterward appear, previous to their taking their seats.

    The Clerk of the House of Representatives of the Eightieth and each succeeding Congress shall cause the oath of office to be printed, furnishing two copies to each Member and Delegate who has taken the oath of office in accordance with law, which shall be subscribed in person by the Member or Delegate, who shall thereupon deliver them to the Clerk, one to be filed in the records of the House of Representatives, and the other to be recorded in the Journal of the House and in the Congressional Record; and such signed copies, or certified copies thereof, or of either of such records thereof, shall be admissible in evidence in any court of the United States, and shall be held conclusive proof of the fact that the signer duly took the oath of office in accordance with law.

    (R.S. § 30; Feb. 18, 1948, ch. 53, 62 Stat. 20.)
    —————————————————————————————————————
    Johnson is bent on breaking the law by order of the Commie in Chief.

  10. Considering that the USA is the most corrupt country on earth, with a ridiculously stupid judiciary system and a constitution that's worth nothing more than toilet paper…Then yes, he probably can!!

  11. Margins will be key, and right now they don't look close in a # of traditional red states. I would expect a few close ones they'll try to hold-up in court, not sure what they're going to do about the landslides in the other states though.

  12. We cannot allow Johnson to remain in the House once the Dem Majority is seated. He should be kicked out for such a move. Then go after the administration including Vought.

  13. Because the Trump regime “ owns “ corporate America, and are really the entity that runs, teach, feed, and clothes the country, will use the last bastion beat Americans into submission is to exploit those four subjects I spoke of against the masses. In most instances they already have. They will try to starve people by sickening them with tainted foods, they will interfere with education by having lawmakers allow commercial propaganda in the shape of shame doctrine in schools across the country, Corporations that clothe America will only offer “ rags “ as apparel, instead of the well made garments most are used to, and last , but not least, corporations will alter the futures market to bleed out the rest of the libertarian aggregators to soften the physical and financial landscape for the easy access of hostile foreign interests; Russia. The backbone of twenty first century Russia is child enslavement and the exploitation of women. Apparently Russia has exploited the biggest weakness the Western world has – SEX. So much that our weakest leaders have been blackmailed to sell us out.

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