These Nine Republicans Already Have Plans to Oust Mike Johnson

Sarah Arnold | January 03, 2025 9:00 PM

Just hours after House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) secured the Speaker's gavel on Friday, nine Republican lawmakers already voiced their desire to oust him, signaling early discontent within the party. These Republicans, many of whom are hardline conservatives, argue that Johnson has failed to deliver on key promises and has pandered to the Democratic Party. The push to remove him from the speakership underscores the deepening divisions within the GOP, with some members demanding a more aggressive stance on spending cuts and other conservative issues.

The nine Republicans who first either abstained from voting for Johnson or voted for another candidate for speaker have signaled their efforts to file a motion to remove him from his position. All but one, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), changed their vote in favor of Johnson before it was given in. In a closely divided House, unless Democrats decide to intervene and support Johnson, the nine Republican votes would be enough to oust him from his position later this year, challenging the precarious nature of Johnson’s seat.

The 9 number is important — 3 votes for someone else and 6 who withheld to end then voted for Johnson — because that’s the new threshold for motion to vacate (9 members) in new House rules package. So it could be they’re sending Johnson a message here and come around on ballot 2
— Matthew Boyle (@mboyle1) January 3, 2025

The nine-member threshold required to trigger a vote to vacate Johnson from his speakership is much higher than his predecessor, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), endured the past two years. Under the more challenger-friendly rules during McCarthy's term, any member of the House could call for a vote to vacate Johnson from his speakership and make it easier for him to lose his seat.