Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has been threatening to call a vote to remove House Speaker Mike Johnson, but up until now, it has been all talk and no action. Democratic leaders have announced that they will formally protect Johnson if Greene tries to vacate the chair. Greene responded by accusing Johnson of making a “slimy backroom deal” with the Democrats and claimed he is now the Democrat Speaker of the House. This move by the Democrats could embolden Republicans who want to oust Johnson, potentially leading to a challenge for the Speaker position next year.
There is a possibility that Johnson, or an ally, could trigger the resolution to remove him, confident that they have enough support to defeat Greene. If Greene’s resolution is triggered, the first vote will likely be on a motion to table or kill the resolution. If the House votes to table, then Greene’s efforts to remove Johnson will be defeated. Another scenario could involve Democrats not voting, which would assist Johnson in remaining in his position. If the House fails to protect Johnson and the motion to table fails, chaos will ensue, as the House would need to vote on whether to remove Johnson.
Greene is following a familiar path, similar to when former Rep. Mark Meadows introduced a resolution to remove then-House Speaker John Boehner but never forced a vote on the floor. Johnson, like Boehner, may have essentially “cleaned the barn” until fall, meaning that he will address nettlesome issues before potentially stepping down as Speaker. The next significant deadline for Congress is to fund the government by September 30. If Greene can’t rally enough support to remove Johnson, the next vote for House Speaker will likely occur in the 119th Congress in 2025.
The House Democrats’ move to support Johnson could potentially benefit him in the short term, but it could also lead to challenges from within the Republican Party. The decision to protect Johnson was more about cutting off Greene’s efforts rather than a full-throated endorsement of Johnson. The possibility of Democrats electing Hakeem Jeffries as the next Speaker of the House in 2025 could be a reality if they have the majority. If Democrats are in the minority, they would still have a say in the Speaker election, adding to the potential uncertainty for Johnson’s future.
The current situation could affect Johnson’s standing in the House, as some Republicans may see him as vulnerable since he is relying on Democratic votes to remain as Speaker. The maneuver by the Democrats to support Johnson could lead to further divisions within the Republican Party, potentially creating an opportunity for other Republicans to challenge Johnson for leadership positions in the future. Johnson’s future as Speaker may depend on how Greene and other Republicans choose to approach the issue in the coming months.
