House GOP rebels who ousted Kevin McCarthy are now hesitant to support the push to remove current House Speaker Mike Johnson. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene announced she would force a House-wide vote on Johnson’s ouster next week via a procedural move. Greene’s push has mostly fallen flat within the House GOP, with only a few Republicans in support. Despite dissatisfaction with Johnson’s leadership, many are unsure about going through another midterm speaker election.
Some Republicans who previously voted to oust McCarthy are now unsure about supporting Greene’s motion to vacate Johnson. Rep. Nancy Mace expressed hesitancy, while Rep. Matt Gaetz indicated he would likely support a motion to table the resolution. House Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good has expressed a desire for a new House GOP leader but has not changed his position since. Other Republicans, such as Eli Crane and Andy Biggs, have expressed displeasure with Johnson’s leadership but do not believe his ouster is likely right now.
Rep. Matt Rosendale did not indicate his thoughts on Greene’s motion, stating that he has plenty of time to think about it. Greene believes that Republicans who previously voted to oust McCarthy should also support Johnson’s removal, but many are not showing strong support for the motion. Rep. Thomas Massie anticipates more GOP support for the motion next week, indicating that there may be enough votes to show that Johnson cannot be elected speaker in January.
Overall, the push to remove House Speaker Mike Johnson is facing lukewarm reception from many House GOP members. While some express dissatisfaction with Johnson’s leadership, they are unsure about supporting Greene’s motion to vacate the chair. The outcome of the upcoming vote remains uncertain, with only a few Republicans firmly in support of Johnson’s removal. The future of House leadership and the possibility of another midterm speaker election remain uncertain amidst the current tensions within the Republican Party.
