- Written by Anthony Zurcher
- bbc news
image source, Getty Images
Top congressional Democrats announced Tuesday that they will give their party a lifeline if Republicans try to remove Mike Johnson as speaker of the House.
A few hinted they would support Mr. Johnson, who defied the party’s conservative wing to pass $61 billion in military aid to Ukraine.
“It’s time to turn the page on this chapter of obstruction by pro-Putin Republicans,” the House Democratic leadership team said in a statement, suggesting that Republicans who oppose aid to Ukraine are supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin. .
Johnson is a devout evangelical and Louisiana conservative with right-wing views on social issues such as abortion, and currently leads the coalition in the House of Representatives.
This may be a bitter pill to swallow for Democrats who strongly disagree with him on policy and believe their party will benefit from prolonged Republican turmoil. However, cooperation with speakers goes beyond simply supporting Ukraine.
alliance of convenience
Earlier this year, Mr. Johnson relied on Democratic votes to approve new operating funds for the U.S. government, averting partial service shutdowns and preserving many of Democrats’ spending priorities.
Three weeks ago, he refused to reauthorize his own party’s controversial national security surveillance program.
Some conservatives had called for his removal even before Ukraine reached the floor.
In March, Georgia’s Marjorie Taylor Greene filed a motion that would trigger a vote on his removal from office. She warned on Tuesday that she would bring the motion to a vote soon.
“I am a strong believer in recorded voting because keeping Congress on the record allows all Americans to see the truth and brings transparency to voting,” she said on social media. Ta.
He added that “Americans have a right to see a full display of the United Party,” using a term popularized by those who argue there is no real difference between Democrats and establishment Republicans. .
But rank-and-file House Republicans appear worried about the prospect of a new battle just six months after former Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted.
It took three weeks of intraparty bickering and bitter debate before Mr. Johnson, a relative unknown, won the presidency with unanimous Republican support.
Donald Trump has been an important and somewhat unlikely ally for Johnson throughout the latest challenges to his leadership.
The former president and presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee said in a radio interview last week that he is a “very good person” and “trying very hard.” He gave words of praise to the current chairman.
He noted that Johnson had to work with a very small Republican majority in the chamber.
Johnson’s support from Democrats and continued support from Trump is likely to ensure that he remains in power at least until November’s election for all 435 seats in the House of Representatives.
But if Republicans control the chamber, which is far from guaranteed, Mr. Johnson will no longer be able to count on Democratic support, opening the possibility of another moment of reckoning among conservatives.
But for now, Johnson said he is focused on his job.
“We have to do what we believe is right,” he told reporters at the Capitol on Tuesday.
“What this country needs right now is a functioning Congress.”
