Senate Conservatives Urge Rep. Greene to Drop Bid to Oust Speaker Johnson

Senate conservatives are urging Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) to abandon her attempt to oust Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) over Ukraine aid and government spending, citing a lack of support and higher priorities ahead of the November election. Greene filed a motion to vacate the chair a month ago, protesting Johnson's handling of Ukraine aid, government spending, and the reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

Why this matters: The outcome of this leadership struggle could impact the Republican Party's ability to unify and effectively govern in the lead-up to the November election. A change in House leadership could also have significant implications for the passage of key legislation, including Ukraine aid and government spending bills.

Only two House Republicans have publicly backed Greene's effort, and she has failed to gain support among Senate conservatives. Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) called the idea "horrible," stating that Johnson is doing the best possible job with a slim majority and that there is no more conservative person who can be elected Speaker. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) described the effort as "utterly ridiculous and counterproductive."

Senate conservatives believe that a leadership change would be a distraction from more pressing issues, such as winning control of Congress and putting Trump back in the White House. Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) urged Republicans to "stick together" and focus on the upcoming election. Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) noted that the effort could harm the Republican agenda for the remainder of the year and that there is no real fallback option.

Former President Trump's recent support for Johnson has also hindered Greene's effort to remove him from the Speakership. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has thrown his full support behind Johnson, stating that the chaos in the House will be discontinued and that it's a benefit to the country, the House, and the reputation of Congress. "I'm relieved as I think all of America is that the chaos in the House will be discontinued," McConnell said.

Johnson has been largely dismissive of Greene's effort to remove him from the Speakership. Democratic leadership has pledged to help save Johnson's gavel after he put Ukraine aid on the floor, where it easily passed. The $95 billion emergency spending package passed this month includes aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. With a lack of support and higher priorities looming, Greene faces an uphill battle in her bid to oust Johnson from theSpeaker's chair.

Key Takeaways

• Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) filed a motion to oust Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) over Ukraine aid and spending.
• Only 2 House Republicans have publicly backed Greene's effort, with Senate conservatives opposing it.
• Senate conservatives believe a leadership change would be a distraction from winning control of Congress and the 2024 election.
• Former President Trump and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell have thrown their support behind Speaker Johnson.
• Greene faces an uphill battle in her bid to oust Johnson, with Democratic leadership pledging to help save his gavel.