House Republicans are just coming to terms with their chasms-wide divisions. They’ve all been hunkered down getting ready for the most critical vote yet on President Donald Trump’s budget reconciliation megabill. Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, has suggested strong opposition remains within the conference. He figures there are “at least 10 NO’s right now” on the bill.
Massie, who was one of only two Republicans to vote against Trump’s previous version of the bill in May, appears poised to cast another dissenting vote. Originally he was against the legislation before the Senate changed it drastically. Only one other member, Representative Warren Davidson of Ohio, followed Massie’s lead to vote against the bill back in May. Make no mistake, he is going to defect again in the next vote.
House Republican Conference members joined then-President Trump at the U.S. Capitol on May 20, 2025. This marked the perfect timing for this meeting to align with those developments. Massie was present at this meeting and spoke with reporters beforehand, expressing concern about the current state of the bill. His anxieties are an indicator of the growing divide in the party. Political moderates and hardliners alike are united in their calls for radical changes to the bill.
Toomey, Massie, Davidson are probably already programmed to vote against megabill. House Speaker Mike Johnson will only be able to lose one additional nay for the package to pass entirely along party lines. Johnson confronts some pretty intense stakes in this pickle of a mess. To succeed, he needs to artfully thread this needle in a field full of competing GOP priorities.
Massie has been vocal about his stance on social media, posting a statement on X.com that can be found at “RepThomasMassie/status/1940486637525651741”. His comments highlight the political struggles ahead for Johnson, as a multitude of Republicans sit in districts that would otherwise vote for a Democrat in presidential years. These dynamics have the effect of complicating party unity, further complicating leadership’s ability to corral support for the megabill.
During a recent House Republican Conference meeting, Rep. He collaborated with other members on some of the subtle nuances within the bill. His engagements continue to raise necessary discussions within the party. Moderates are trying to reassure their constituents about specific issues. Hardliners are demanding that more conservative policy be added into the legislation. This internal strife not only shows how much individual legislators prioritize active transportation, it also shows the bigger ideological rift within the Republican Party.