House Speaker Mike Johnson will have to choose in coming weeks between a fight with Democrats that threatens a shutdown, or a deal with Democrats that threatens his job.
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How U.S. House dysfunction could lead to a government shutdown
House Republicans are expecting a government shutdown next month, "even if it's just for a few days."
The big picture
They're either "close to reaching a deal or it's about to blow up," one subcommittee chair recently told a fellow House Republican.
Between the lines
Meanwhile, centrist Democrats have floated protecting Johnson to give him room to put bipartisan legislation on the floor.
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