Some Democrats Say They Would Save Speaker Johnson From Ouster
After Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) filed a movement to vacate Speaker chair on March 22, a number of Democrats say they’d vote in opposition to it.
An unlikely supply of support for Home Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.)—who’s dealing with a movement from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) to oust him after bringing the federal government funding bundle to a ground vote—would possibly come from Home Democrats.
In spite of everything Home Democrats voted with a gang of eight Republicans led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to oust former Home Speaker Kevin McCarthy in October 2023, a number of Home Democrats are signaling they’d save Mr. Johnson from an analogous destiny.
“It’s absurd he’s being kicked out for doing the suitable factor, preserving the federal government open. It has two-thirds help of the Congress, and the concept he can be kicked out by these jokers is absurd,” Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) instructed CNN on March 22.
He mentioned he would vote to retain Mr. Johnson as Home Speaker and hoped different Democrats would do the identical.
“I don’t help Speaker Johnson, however I’ll by no means stand by and let [Ms. Greene] take over the folks’s Home,” he mentioned.
Nonetheless, some Democrats mentioned their help can be predicated on Mr. Johnson reconsidering the Senate’s foreign-aid bundle handed in February.
“I’d need to see his good-faith motion earlier than that occurred,” Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) mentioned, referring to the potential of voting to retain Mr. Johnson as speaker.
Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), earlier than Ms. Greene filed her movement, talked about that he would vote to forestall Mr. Johnson’s ouster relying on the speaker’s actions relating to support for Ukraine.
“If we get a vote on the appropriations payments and we get a vote on the supplemental, there’ll be sufficient Democrats that Johnson is not going to be eliminated as speaker,” Mr. Smith instructed The Hill in February.
“That’s simply my view.”
Republicans In opposition to Johnson Ouster
Ms. Greene filed her movement to vacate Mr. Johnson from the speaker’s chair the morning earlier than the Home authorized the funding bundle, 286–134, which is now headed to the Senate earlier than the 11:59 p.m. shutdown deadline.
Nonetheless, not all Republicans are wanting to face the identical gridlock and uncertainty that bedeviled the GOP caucus within the weeks after Mr. McCarthy’s ouster. Even a few of Mr. Johnson’s harshest critics from the Home Freedom Caucus have dismissed Ms. Greene’s efforts.
Mr. Gaetz, who initiated Mr. McCarthy’s downfall, mentioned he wouldn’t help a movement to vacate Mr. Johnson.
“After I vacated McCarthy, I made a promise to all of you, to the whole nation, that we’d not find yourself with a Democrat speaker,” Mr. Gaetz mentioned on his “Firebrand” podcast on March 22, after the Home vote.
He expressed concern with the dwindling Home GOP majority and the potential of not less than a number of Republicans voting for a Democratic speaker within the occasion of Mr. Johnson’s potential ouster.
“And since I’m undecided of that, don’t depend me amongst those that would help a movement to vacate presently,” Mr. Gaetz added.
Some Republicans, nonetheless, weren’t almost as restrained of their responses to Ms. Greene’s movement to vacate.
“It’s not solely idiotic, however it truly doesn’t do something to advance the conservative motion. And in reality, it undermines the nation and our majority,” mentioned Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.).
Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) of the Home Freedom Caucus mentioned Mr. Johnson is the one Home Republican able to main the caucus “by way of these darkish and difficult instances” and that Ms. Greene “simply made an enormous mistake.”
Ms. Greene instructed reporters on the Capital steps on March 22 that she shouldn’t be the one Republican supporting her movement to vacate Mr. Johnson however stopped wanting naming anybody.
“I’ve talked to many who in all probability gained’t go public, however silently, they’re respiratory a sigh of reduction,” she mentioned.
That help, not less than to date, doesn’t seem to come back from others who voted to oust Mr. McCarthy final 12 months.
Other than Mr. Gaetz, Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) mentioned he, too, is in opposition to eradicating Mr. Johnson however he’s additionally annoyed with the speaker’s actions with the funding bundle.
One other McCarthy-ouster supporter, Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), mentioned on March 21 that Mr. Johnson has “some possession” relating to the funding bundle however defended the speaker.
“We’ve additionally obtained to be real looking and take a look at the state of affairs that he’s in,” he mentioned. “Speaker Johnson is clear and, you already know, doesn’t make guarantees after which not ship on these guarantees.”
Different Republicans are in opposition to the potential ouster as effectively, fearing it’s a foul transfer for the GOP.
“This isn’t good for the celebration,” mentioned Rep. Greg Pence (R-Ind.).
“After I go dwelling, individuals are tuning out what’s happening within the Home due to the shortage of progress [and] the chaos that’s taking place. And I’d like us to get collectively and work collectively.
“We’re transferring within the unsuitable path of getting collectively.”
The Epoch Instances reached out to Ms. Greene’s workplace for remark however didn’t obtain a response previous to publication.
Samantha Flom contributed to this report.