House lawmakers are preparing for another vote to remove a speaker, which is expected to have notable differences compared to the previous one held just six months ago.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is determined to move forward with her effort to bring a vote on terminating Mike Johnson’s speakership, although the exact timing remains uncertain. At this point, no fellow Republicans have publicly expressed their support for her initiative.
In October, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) garnered support as he made efforts to remove then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy. However, there has been a significant shift since then. Democrats, who previously offered no assistance to McCarthy, are now considering providing help to Johnson.
However, there is a catch to this possibility. Several Democrats have made it clear that they will only support Johnson’s continuation in office if he decides to address the issue of providing additional aid to Ukraine.
Johnson faces a tighter margin compared to McCarthy, leaving no assurance of a bipartisan agreement. Presently, he can only afford to lose two Republicans without any support from Democrats. While not all conservatives are firmly set on voting against him, numerous individuals are displeased that Johnson approved a $1.2 trillion government funding deal primarily with Democratic votes.
The fate of his speakership hangs in the balance, contingent upon the support of various factions and individual members, including Greene herself. Keep an eye on the following key players:
The Chief Antagonist
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The fiery Georgia Republican has not yet indicated when she will initiate a vote to remove Johnson. Her actions indicate that she did it as a means of reprimanding Johnson for his involvement in the extensive spending bill that he presented on the House floor in late March, which was primarily supported by Democratic votes.
Greene has expressed her intention to bring it up for a vote, but she may be using it as a negotiation strategy until she formally introduces it on the floor. If she does proceed, Johnson will be obligated to hold a vote within 48 hours.
With Johnson’s already slim GOP margin about to shrink to a single vote, it would be wise for her to consider waiting a couple of weeks. As Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) leaves the House on April 19, the Republican majority will become even more tenuous.
The McCarthy Foes
None of the eight Republicans who voted to remove McCarthy in October have explicitly expressed support for the effort to oust Johnson. Some have clearly stated their opposition, while others have remained undecided.
Not feeling it:
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- Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who led the motion to oust McCarthy last year, said he’s “just not ready to support a motion to vacate” for Johnson.
- Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) said he “isn’t there yet” on getting rid of Johnson.
- Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.) said at a campaign stop that he’s not on board with removing Johnson at this point. “We’re trying to influence him to do the right thing,” he said.
- Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) said she would vote no on a so-called motion to vacate.
Curious, but not fully committed… yet.
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- Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) says he’s “increasingly disappointed in his performance as speaker.” But Biggs has serious doubts about the plausibility of removing Johnson: “I don’t think it’s going to happen, regardless of whether we want it to.”
- Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.) told CNN he is “open to that conversation.”
- Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.) was a big Johnson booster until the speaker withdrew his endorsement of Rosendale for Senate, who later dropped his bid altogether. After the spending deal passed, Rosendale framed it as a “Johnson-Schumer-Biden swamp” funding bill. He also lamented broken promises from leadership about giving members 72 hours to review legislation.
Not a consideration:
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- Ken Buck of Colorado has left the House.
Angry Wildcards
House conservatives are expressing their anger over the recent approval of a large spending package, as it did not receive support from the majority of Republicans. However, it remains uncertain whether this frustration will lead to concrete action against Johnson.
Reps. Chip Roy (R-Texas) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) have expressed their frustration with Johnson for violating a policy that allows lawmakers 72 hours to review bills and consistently relying on Democratic votes to pass significant legislation, thus bypassing the Rules Committee. They also have concerns about Johnson’s approach to handling a foreign aid package that includes funding for Ukraine. Roy and Massie, who both hold positions on the coveted Rules panel, did not support the attempt to remove McCarthy from his position.
Massie recently took to social media to question Speaker Johnson about his mission, specifically accusing him of supporting earmarks that he believes compromise moral values.
Rep. Victoria Spartz, a Republican from Indiana, is a lesser-known player in the ongoing speakership drama. Originally planning to retire but then retracting her decision, Spartz is an advocate for providing aid to Ukraine. If Senator Johnson’s fate depends on securing funds for Kyiv, Spartz could potentially play a vital role.
Centrist Democrats
According to Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, he is optimistic that a substantial number of his Democratic colleagues would be willing to come forward and support Johnson’s cause. However, he believes that this can only happen if the speaker grants them the opportunity to vote on a foreign aid bill that includes funding for Ukraine.
Other Democrats who are also advocating for a deal on Ukraine aid may join them. This includes Representatives Jared Golden from Maine, Josh Gottheimer from New Jersey, Ed Case from Hawaii, and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez from Washington. All of them have endorsed a discharge petition, which is a method to compel a vote on Ukraine aid legislation. This legislation would connect the funding to border policies that Republicans support, such as the “remain in Mexico” program. This program requires certain asylum seekers to stay in Mexico until their cases are resolved.
