Johnson Backs Off Motion to Vacate Change

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is having a hard time getting this caucus under control.

With a motion to vacate waiting in the wings that already has the support of at least three Republicans, Johnson was hoping to change the rules.

However, even though members have expressed support for him, he realized that he does not have enough votes to change the rules, so he is backing off.

His Demise

Johnson was threatened by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) several weeks ago with a motion to vacate.

At the time, she stated that she did so to warn Johnson, not yet ready to floor the motion.

Since then, Rep Massie (R-KY) asked Johnson to resign, which he refused, so Massie is now falling in line with Greene.

Reports then surfaced on Thursday night that another member of the GOP caucus was coming forward to support Greene’s motion.

The bad news continued for Johnson, who got into a heated debate with Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), among others, over the $95 billion foreign aid package that was put on the floor and eventually passed with the help of Democrats.

Johnson is now clearly getting nervous about the rule change that enabled Gaetz to ouster McCarthy, so he wanted to change the rule.

However, after polling members, he realized he did not have enough support to change the rule. He then posted on X, “Since the beginning of the 118th Congress, the House rule allowing a Motion to Vacate from a single member has harmed this office and our House majority.

“Recently, many members have encouraged me to endorse a new rule to raise this threshold. While I understand the importance of that idea, any rule change requires a majority of the full House, which we do not have.

“We will continue to govern under the existing rules.”

Greene now appears ready to pounce, stating, “I don’t care if the speaker’s office becomes a revolving door.

“If that’s exactly what needs to happen, then let it be. But the days are over of the old Republican Party, that wants to fund foreign wars and murder people in foreign lands, while they stab the American people in their face.”

As I have stated before, I understand the frustration, but we need to start thinking big picture this close to the election.

There is no way voters will allow Republicans to run the House if they cannot even settle on a Speaker.

If I am running the opposition on this, I tell everyone to bite the bullet and allow Johnson to finish out the term but make it very clear we are unhappy with him and will choose a new Speaker that will be more effective in the next term.

If not, this issue could impact Senate races as well as the White House race.

If we lose all three, Joe Biden and company will have unfettered control of the government for at least two years and can pass whatever they want.

So, what is more important? Making headlines and getting clicks and likes with these statements to remove Johnson or regaining control of the government to help push the conservative movement forward… that is the question the GOP House caucus needs to answer right now.