BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), in an interview with The Hill from the campaign trail in Pennsylvania, said he “probably underestimated” just how much work it would be to lead the House GOP’s massive political operation.

Johnson has been on the road constantly this fall, crisscrossing the country to raise money and preserve — and try to grow — a fragile GOP majority.

“We had a big challenge ahead of us, and I knew there was some travel involved. But I think I've had to travel more than my predecessors, because I was introducing myself to people for the first time,” said Johnson, who recently reached the one-year mark as Speaker.

“It’s been all-encompassing,” he added.

Johnson has been tasked with leading a fractious House GOP conference with an excruciatingly small majority, and it could stay that way even if Republicans keep the lower chamber.

Stumping in support of GOP House candidate Ryan Mackenzie eight days before Election Day in Bethlehem, Pa. — the 243rd city across 40 states that he’s visited in the last year — Johnson told a crowd of about 90 people packed into a GOP field office about the difficulties of legislating with just a razor-thin margin.

“It is not like herding cats. It is like exotic animals — and half of them have rabies in Washington. It’s a very dangerous job,” Johnson said to a crowd of about 90 people.

“I spent half my day as the Speaker of the House, the other half as a mental health counselor. The solution is to grow that majority and to have people who can come in on day one and perform for the people who govern,” Johnson said.

The irony is that Johnson's future is in question whether he succeeds or fails.

Many Republicans expect that Johnson wouldn’t be elected to leadership if the GOP is relegated to the minority.

Johnson declined to say whether he would seek the top slot in that scenario, telling The Hill: “I have not given it a thought because I don't believe that's going to happen, and I have to stay laser-focused on delivering this vote.”

If Republicans keep control of the chamber, Johnson’s ability to remain Speaker depends on the margin. A Speaker must get a majority of the votes on the House floor, meaning Johnson would need the vast majority of Republicans to back him.

Earlier this year, Democrats stepped in to kill an effort led by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) to oust Johnson. A total of 11 Republicans voted against tabling the matter, raising questions about how much support Johnson could get in a Jan. 3........

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