A bitter defeat was experienced by an ardent Trump supporter as the Republican-dominated US House of Representatives, with the help of US President Joe Biden’s Democrats, rejected a vote of no confidence against Republican leader Mike Johnson. Despite an attempt by radical Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene to remove Johnson from his position, the parliamentary chamber rejected the motion with the support of a clear majority of Republican and Democratic representatives.
Greene, known for her support of former President Donald Trump, had threatened Johnson with this advance for weeks, putting herself in the spotlight. She initially submitted the proposal as a warning after Johnson enabled a vote on a budget package that Republican hardliners rejected. When Johnson allowed a vote on US aid to Ukraine about a month later, Greene followed through with her motion, which was ultimately unsuccessful.
Leading Democrats in the House of Representatives supported Johnson and blocked Greene’s motion to avert a vote of no confidence. Many Republicans also supported Johnson, signaling their discontent with the chaos in their own ranks. For Greene, the campaign ended in defeat, and Johnson expressed hope that the distractions and character attacks would cease so that the chamber could focus on more important tasks.
Johnson, who took office only six months ago, succeeded Kevin McCarthy, who was ousted by radical Republicans at the beginning of October with the help of Democrats. The Republicans hold a razor-thin majority in the House of Representatives, making internal unity crucial for their success.