House Speaker Mike Johnson's plan to keep the government open beyond November 17 is encountering significant challenges in the House as conservatives express opposition and Democrats remain noncommittal. With just four days to avert a government shutdown, Johnson's ability to navigate this situation will serve as his first major legislative test.

Conservatives have criticized Johnson's two-step plan on social media and have vowed to vote against it. Rep. Warren Davidson from Ohio expressed disappointment with the proposed short-term funding plan, stating that it included a one-year extension of the Farm Bill without reform and maintained status quo policies and funding levels. Other conservatives, including influential House Freedom Caucus member Rep. Chip Roy, also criticized the bill, highlighting their opposition to funding at current levels for 75 days.

The opposition from conservatives puts Johnson in a challenging position, potentially requiring Democratic support to pass the bill before the impending Friday deadline. However, Democrats have yet to make a firm commitment to back Johnson's proposal, leaving the fate of his first major piece of legislation uncertain.

Some lawmakers view Johnson's two-step plan as messy and unnecessary. However, the absence of steep spending cuts in the proposal has kept lawmakers open-minded. Johnson's spending plan would fund government agencies such as the military, Veterans Affairs, transportation, housing, urban development, and energy and water through mid-January. Funding for remaining government agencies would then expire on February 2.

Critics have dismissed Johnson's plan as a gimmick, but they acknowledge the need to consider it given the limited time available and the divided control of Congress. Democrats, wary of Johnson's approach, are waiting to see how he manages his own conference before making a decision.

One of the first challenges facing Johnson is whether he can pass a procedural vote known as the rule for the spending bill. Conservative opposition to GOP rules has been a political sticking point in the past. It remains uncertain if conservatives will grant Johnson more maneuvering room or if their opposition will force him to pursue a two-thirds majority vote under a suspension of the rules.

The House Rules Committee will convene on Monday to consider Johnson's unconventional stop-gap bill. Johnson can only afford to lose three GOP votes in the committee, which includes members like Rep. Chip Roy, a vocal opponent of the bill.

During a private call, Johnson attempted to persuade his members that passing the individual spending bills had been delayed during the speaker's race and that a short-term spending bill in two parts would provide maximum leverage in future negotiations. However, Johnson also warned that a rejected plan could result in a year-long spending bill with cuts to non-defense programs, something Democrats would oppose.

In recent weeks, House Republicans have struggled to unify on spending, similar to challenges faced under former Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Divisions within the GOP led to the withdrawal of two year-long spending bills for transportation and housing, as well as financial services and general government. Democrats argue that this reflects a lack of leverage for Republicans in the current fight.

As the negotiations unfold, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, criticized Johnson's approach, asserting that it would potentially create more shutdown showdowns.

While Democrats observe the situation, the White House has actively criticized Johnson's proposal, labeling it as "unserious." White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre emphasized that House Republicans were wasting time with an unserious proposal, warning of Republican chaos and more shutdowns.

At this time, it remains unclear if President Joe Biden would sign or veto the two-step bill, as the White House has not yet issued a statement of administration policy. Notably, the bill lacks funding for Israel and Ukraine, according to the White House's urgent request.

Overall, Johnson faces a challenging political landscape as he strives to pass his first major piece of legislation amidst opposition from conservatives and the uncertainty of Democratic support. The coming days will determine if his two-step plan can successfully avert a government shutdown.