Fear and Chaos in the House GOP: Speaker Mike Johnson at a Crossroads
Ever since Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) agreed to even just the framework of a government spending deal with Democrats on Sunday, the House has been in chaos.
First, it was conservatives raging against the deal, calling it “a sham.” While there wasn’t much talk of an effort to boot Johnson, some Republicans—like the perpetually dissatisfied Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX)—made it clear it was an option on the table.
But the discontent was strong enough that conservatives took their anger a step further, blocking the House GOP’s legislative agenda as a signal of their opposition. A dozen hardliners voted down a rule—a procedural vote that, until lately, was a huge taboo for the majority to oppose. Their mutiny, however, was a reminder that, without near-unanimous GOP support, any Republican speaker, no matter if he’s one of the conservatives’ own, is an endangered species.