Hardline Republicans Escalate Threat To Oust Speaker Johnson

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has told reporters that he does not intend to resign following a declaration from Rep Thomas Massie (R-KY) that he will co-sponsor Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene's (R-GA) motion to vacate - the procedural maneuver hardliners used to oust former speaker Kevin McCarthy in October last year. Massie and Greene have both cited Johnson's compromise with Democrats on FY24 funding and his new plan to fund Ukraine as justification for removing him from the position.

• Johnson: "I am not resigning... I regard myself as a war-time speaker ... I didn't think this would be an easy path."
• Massie said in a statement on X: "I just told Mike Johnson in conference that I’m cosponsoring the Motion to Vacate that was introduced by [Greene]. He should pre-announce his resignation (as Boehner did), so we can pick a new Speaker without ever being without a GOP Speaker."
• If Massie or Greene decide to trigger a vote to oust him, Democrats could step in a dismiss the motion. Notably, they did not do this to insulate McCarthy, citing a lack of trust. If Democrats help Johnson maintain the gavel it could make him a lame duck speaker further alienated from the right flank of his party and in a degraded position to move legislation or fundraise ahead of the general election.
• The prevailing view suggests than the chaos which would follow another ousted speaker would be politically damaging for Republicans. Johnson also has a renewed endorsement from former President Donald Trump which provides him some cover.