U.S. House GOP in Disarray Over New Push to Remove Speaker Johnson

In a display of internal divisions, House Republicans are once again facing turmoil as there are new calls to remove House Speaker Mike Johnson intensify from within the right flank of their conference. The growing unrest raises questions about the party's ability to close the border and maintain their majority in the face of mounting challenges.

Representative Nick Langworthy of New York, a staunch Republican, expressed his frustration with the idea of filing a motion to vacate against Johnson, telling Fox News, "Anyone that wants to go in that direction is showing how unserious they are about us maintaining the majority. It looks like they're just trying to sabotage the future, and they're working for Joe Biden at that point."

The discontent among GOP hardliners stems from Johnson's recent deal aimed at averting a government shutdown, which he negotiated with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Some Republicans argue that this deal has put the conference in a vulnerable position, comparable to the aftermath of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy's similar deal with President Biden last spring.

Representative Chip Roy of Texas, while contemplating the possibility of filing a motion to vacate, emphasized that he had not made a final decision. He said Tuesday, "I'm leaving it on the table. I'm not gonna say, I'm gonna go file it tomorrow. I'm not saying, I'm not going to file it tomorrow."

However, Representative Nicole Malliotakis of New York, a conservative who shares skepticism about the deal, redirected the blame, saying, "It's not our leader that's the problem, it's the leader in the Senate and the White House that's the problem."

Johnson, who assumed the role of House Speaker in late October after McCarthy's removal, did not alter the threshold for a motion to vacate, allowing just one lawmaker to trigger the process.

Representative Eric Burlison of Missouri, an opponent of Johnson's deal, emphasized the importance of keeping the option on the table, told Fox News, "I think that the motion to vacate is an important measure. I don't think members should take it off the table."

Similar to his predecessor, Johnson's leadership is being questioned after negotiating a bipartisan spending deal while facing a Democratic Senate and White House. Establishment conservatives and mainstream Republicans acknowledge the difficult position Johnson is in and warn of severe consequences for the party if they were to remove another leader.

READ MORE:

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Addressing the discontent within the party, Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska dismissed the notion of removing Johnson, calling it "ludicrous." He further stated, "Nobody should be bringing up the word vacate. The speaker is doing and getting the best deal you can get with... 1/3 of government. We should support him."

In response to the growing calls for his removal, Speaker Johnson has remained unfazed during his weekly House GOP leadership press conference, confidently stating, "I'm not concerned about that, we're leading. We have very difficult challenges, but we're going to advance the ball, we're going to advance our conservative principles, and we're going to demonstrate that we can govern well."