WASHINGTON—In a significant move, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted on Wednesday to reject a resolution by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene aimed at removing Speaker Mike Johnson from his position. This decision, which saw Democrats joining forces with Republicans, marks a temporary conclusion to the ongoing internal strife within the GOP.
Greene, representing Georgia, had accused Johnson, from Louisiana, of betraying the Republican Party by seeking Democratic votes to avoid government shutdowns and to fund foreign aid. Despite facing opposition from most of her Republican colleagues and former President Donald Trump, Greene proceeded with a vote to oust the speaker.
The final vote tally was 359-43 in favor of tabling Greene’s motion, with an additional seven members voting present. Following the vote, Johnson expressed gratitude, stating, “I appreciate the show of confidence from my colleagues to defeat this misguided effort,” and he emphasized the need for Republican unity leading up to the November elections.
After the vote, Greene criticized the outcome, stating, “Today has proven the uniparty is alive and well and the Democrats now control Speaker Johnson.”
The narrow majority held by Republicans in the House has granted a minority faction of hard-line Republicans significant influence. This marks the second instance in seven months that Republican dissenters have initiated a motion to vacate the chair.
Johnson, who was elected by Republicans in October, came under fire for allowing a vote in support of funding Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.
Democratic leaders had pledged their support to Johnson, citing his decision to support the funding for Ukraine. This support from Democrats was crucial in blocking Greene's motion, as it prevented her “from plunging the House of Representatives and the country into further chaos,” according to Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Greene had been vocal about her intentions to call for a vote to remove the speaker and had met with Johnson to lay out her demands. However, facing limited options, she was left with no choice but to either force a vote or abandon her efforts entirely.
During her speech on the House floor, Greene criticized Johnson for supporting what she referred to as the Democratic agenda, including funding for abortion, the transgender agenda, the climate agenda, foreign wars, and the border crisis. She accused Johnson of prioritizing these issues over ensuring liberty, opportunity, and security for all Americans.
Despite Greene's efforts, the vast majority of both Republican and Democratic members supported Speaker Johnson. Eleven Republicans, including Greene and her ally Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, voted against tabling the motion, indicating their support for Greene's efforts.
Former President Trump, while expressing his admiration for Greene, opposed her efforts to remove the speaker. He cautioned against destabilizing the party ahead of the upcoming elections and emphasized the need for party unity.
With the Republicans holding a slim majority, just a few lawmakers joining forces with the opposing party could potentially oust a speaker. However, Greene’s efforts failed, with 163 Democrats siding with the motion to table, effectively preserving Johnson’s position.
In discussions leading up to the vote, Greene and Massie had demanded several concessions from Johnson, including ensuring that no bill passes without the support of a majority of the Republican conference and defunding special counsels. Greene also insisted on a 1% cut in any short-term spending deal to fund the government.
Greene first filed her motion in March, expressing her frustration with Johnson for relying on Democratic votes. Some lawmakers had suggested that Greene should face consequences for her actions, such as losing committee assignments or potentially being expelled from the conference.