House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) could be facing an ouster even though he has only been in the position for less than three months. With former Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s ouster still resonating, Johnson’s tenure appears to be growing more precarious as Republican lawmakers grow dissatisfied with his handling of congressional affairs.
However, a simple question arises from this matter: Do House Republicans truly wish to go through another circus to replace Johnson, or will they decide to stick with him?
Earlier this month, Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) indicated that he would be open to filing a motion to remove Johnson as Speaker.
Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, made his bluntest threat yet against Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., warning that a motion to vacate the House Republican leader is "not off the table."
"I'm leaving it on the table. I'm not gonna say I'm gonna go file it tomorrow. I'm not saying I'm not going to file it tomorrow," the Texas conservative said on "The Steve Deace Show" Tuesday.
"I think the speaker needs to know that we're angry about it. He needs to know that we need to sit down at the table and try to solve this."
It’s notable criticism from Roy, who was not one of the eight House Republicans who joined Democrats in ousting former Speaker Kevin McCarthy in October.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), while initially hesitant about the idea, seems to have come around to possibly replacing Johnson.
“There’s no compromising our border security,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., told NBC News in response to GOP senators. “There’s going to be a much better situation under Trump’s administration. We’ll bring back ‘Remain in Mexico.’ And we’re going to deport illegal aliens.”
Greene said she would personally file a “motion to vacate” and force a vote to overthrow House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., if he cuts a deal to fund Ukraine, no matter what immigration provisions it contains. “We can’t fund Ukraine,” she said, calling it “an absolute no-go — that would be a reason to vacate.”
Johnson’s most immediate challenge is related to his handling of a temporary spending bill, which also included an extension of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), a controversial policy that federal agents have abused to spy on American citizens without warrants. Despite objections from conservative members of Congress, the bill was passed, which mirrored the same situation that led to McCarthy’s downfall.
In a written statement, Rep. Bob Good (R-VA) pointed out that “the NDAA also promotes radical Green New Deal policies, implements anti-Second Amendment provisions which would increase the Federal government’s ability to track and control firearm ownership by servicemembers, and is a green light for the radical agenda of Secretary Austin and General Milley.”
There is also the issue of foreign aid, a major sticking point among conservative lawmakers who wish to see a stop to funding sent to other nations. The NDAA included a proposal that would grant $106 billion in aid to Ukraine, Israel, and border security, which is a significant point of contention for Republican lawmakers and their constituents.
Another headache for Speaker Johnson revolves around immigration and border security. Conservative Republicans have become disenchanted with the speaker’s failure to galvanize a consensus on the border crisis.
But the spending deal may not be Johnson’s only concern. Several conservatives have also expressed frustration with the lack of action over the southern border, pressing Johnson not to accept anything less than H.R. 2, Republicans’ signature border bill.
If Johnson wants to retain his position, he has a mountain of obstacles to overcome. He will have to figure out a middle ground between conservative and moderate Republican lawmakers, especially when it comes to budgetary matters.
The speaker will also have to address the FISA issue instead of kicking the can down the road. Unwarranted government surveillance isn’t exactly popular among Americans regardless of political affiliation, and if Johnson continues failing to come up with a solution, it will undoubtedly make people even more frustrated.
Lastly, Johnson will have to address the border issue even if Republicans are unable to craft legislation that will make it past President Joe Biden’s veto pen, which he will certainly use to stop any effort to control the flow of people coming across the southern border.
Of course, it is worth speculating whether the threats coming from conservative Republicans are real, or just a display of political theater. While they might not be satisfied with Johnson’s performance as Speaker, the likelihood of them wanting to drag the country through another circus to choose a different one is low. The decision to oust McCarthy was already controversial enough, and House Republicans did not score any points with the voting public by going through another long, drawn-out process to pick the current speaker. Do they truly believe it would be wise to do it all over again?
