WASHINGTON — A third House Republican has joined an effort to remove Speaker Mike Johnson from power, potentially leading to his ouster unless Democrats intervene. Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., signed onto the “motion to vacate” introduced by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., on Friday. If presented as a privileged resolution, it would trigger a vote within two legislative days to oust Johnson as speaker, requiring a simple majority for success.
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., also supported the motion earlier in the week but expressed a preference for Johnson to resign instead of forcing a vote. These Republicans, along with other hard-right members of the conference, are upset with Johnson for pushing votes on aid for Ukraine without U.S. border security provisions.
Gosar stated on Friday, “We need a Speaker who puts America first rather than bending to the reckless demands of warmongers and the military industrial complex profiting from a costly war overseas.” If the motion is brought to the floor, these three Republican votes would be enough to remove Johnson as speaker if all Democrats vote against him.
The addition of a third Republican to the motion is a significant setback for Johnson, increasing the likelihood of his removal or potential salvation by Democrats, which could further weaken his position within the conference.
Greene is confident in having the necessary votes and believes Democrats will support Johnson, particularly given their concerns over the aid packages’ structure.
Massie clarified that the goal isn’t to force a vote but to pressure Johnson to resign voluntarily. This approach aims to avoid chaos on the House floor and allow Republicans to select a new leader behind closed doors before Johnson steps down.
Massie warned that a vote to remove Johnson could result in Republicans losing the majority, potentially leading to frequent votes to elect a new speaker. He emphasized the importance of Johnson resigning peacefully to prevent such a scenario.
He also mentioned having 12 potential candidates in mind who could lead better than Johnson. Greene has not specified if or when she plans to force a vote on the motion.
Gosar’s announcement of joining the effort came after the House advanced a package of foreign aid bills, including aid for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and measures targeting China’s national security threats.
Johnson defended the House package as the best possible outcome given the circumstances, noting the Democratic control of the Senate and White House. He highlighted the need to act to avoid a discharge petition from Democrats pushing a Senate-passed aid package.
“The reality here is that if the House did not do this … we would have had to eat the Senate supplemental bill,” he told reporters.
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