A number of
Republicans have come out in support of House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) in response to a move by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) demanding his ouster. Ms. Greene filed a motion to vacate on March 22, seeking to oust Mr. Johnson from his leadership role in frustration over a $1.2 trillion spending package
Congress passed to avoid a shutdown. “There’s not a time limit on this, it doesn’t have to be forced,” she said. “But I’m not saying that it won’t happen in two weeks, or it won’t happen.” Mr. Johnson’s predecessor, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), was toppled from the position in October 2023 as a consequence of a motion to vacate. “I stand with Mike Johnson,” Mr. Higgins continued, adding that Mr. Johnson is “maybe the only guy” capable of leading the GOP through “dark and challenging times” with a slim, one-vote majority in the House and a Democrat-controlled
Senate and
White House. Mr. Higgins called on his GOP colleagues to “unanimously oppose” the motion to vacate. Other Republicans said they wouldn’t support Ms. Greene’s motion to vacate, though some, like Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), expressed frustration with Mr. Johnson’s handling of the government funding bill. “I don’t think it’s the right time” to push for Mr. Johnson’s ouster, Mr. Burchett, told reporters Friday afternoon. He warned that a premature bid to remove a
Republican speaker could hand
Democrats a win in an
election year. “If we did it right now we’d elect [Democratic Leader] Hakeem Jeffries as speaker,” he said. Ahead of Friday’s vote, Mr. Gaetz said that when he moved to oust Mr. McCarthy, he “made a promise to the country that we would not end up with a Democrat speaker.” Some had strong words of criticism for Ms. Greene over her move. While Mr. Johnson hasn’t addressed the controversy surrounding Ms. Greene’s motion, his spokesperson said he’s attuned to the concerns of his fellow Republicans. “Speaker Johnson always listens to the concerns of members, but is focused on governing,“ spokesperson Raj Shah said in a statement to some media outlets. ”He will continue to push conservative legislation that secures our border, strengthens our national defense and demonstrates how we’ll grow our majority.” Meanwhile, some Democrats said they would vote to save Mr. Johnson from being toppled. Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) told
CNN on March 22 that he would vote to keep Mr. Johnson in the top
Job in the House and urged his fellow Democrats to do the same. The funding package, comprising six appropriations bills, was introduced on March 21, a day ahead of the deadline to avoid a partial
Government Shutdown. Despite opposition from most of the House Republican conference, the measure passed under a suspension of the rules in a 286–134 vote. After the vote, Ms. Greene spoke to reporters outside of the Capitol, revealing that she had filed the motion. “This is a betrayal of the
American people. This is a betrayal of the Republican voters,” she said, adding that her purpose in filing the motion was not to “throw the House into chaos.” “Committees will continue doing their work, investigations will continue. … I support Republicans holding the majority next conference, but we need a speaker of the House that knows how to negotiate, knows how to walk in the room, knows how to hold the line, and knows how to defend America first and the values and the policies that
President Trump will bring,” she said. Ms. Greene’s move recalled the tumultuous weeks that followed Mr. McCarthy’s ouster. Without a chair, no legislative work could be conducted, and the GOP infighting in selecting a new speaker threatened to tear the party apart. Ms. Greene’s office confirmed to The Epoch Times that her motion was not privileged, meaning that it will not require a floor vote within two legislative days. “This is not personal against Mike Johnson,” Ms. Greene said. “He’s a very good man and I have respect for him as a person, but he is not doing the job. The proof is in the vote count today.” The Epoch Times has contacted Mr. Johnson’s office for comment.