Last week, Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie held a press conference to discuss their bid to oust Speaker Mike Johnson. Greene’s official effort to remove Johnson failed in a House vote by a margin of 359-43. Despite this, 11 House Republicans voted against a procedural vote to table Greene’s motion, choosing instead to allow debate on the matter. It is worth noting that most lawmakers who supported Greene were Democrats who do not agree with Johnson’s political views.
The attempt to oust Johnson was somewhat unexpected, as Greene had appeared to back off on her threat just a day before forcing the vote. Former President Donald Trump expressed his love for Greene but stated his doubt regarding the timing of the ouster bid. Greene’s resolution was cosponsored by only two other Republicans, Reps. Thomas Massie and Paul Gosar. Seven Democrats voted “present” rather than taking a side.
Ultimately, the effort to remove Johnson was anticipated to fail, as Democratic leaders had already decided to table the motion. 163 Democrats voted to do so, with 32 Democrats choosing to support Greene’s effort due to their opposition to Johnson’s politics. The outcome of Greene’s future attempts to remove Johnson remains uncertain. The 11 House Republicans who voted to advance the effort to oust Johnson are Andy Biggs, Eric Burlison, Eli Crane, Warren Davidson, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Paul Gosar, Thomas Massie, Alex Mooney, Barry Moore, Chip Roy, and Victoria Spartz.