Many find Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz to blame for the crisis among House Republicans in recent months, and the latest to join the list of critics is Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. Even though Cruz considers himself a die-hard conservative, just like Greene and Gaetz, Cruz blames Greene’s threats and efforts to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson after Johnson’s support for a $61 billion military aid package to Ukraine, approved by the House on April 20.
Greene’s efforts to oust Johnson
Greene initially filed a motion last month but held off on formally introducing it, which would require a vote on Johnson’s fate within two legislative days. At the time, Greene described her action as a warning to the Republican leader. Now she has followed through on that threat. GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene announced Wednesday she will force a vote over House Speaker Mike Johnson’s ouster next week—a move that comes after Democrats have said they will vote to kill the effort and ensure Johnson doesn’t lose his job.
A slight majority that doesn’t work
Republicans enjoy a slight majority in the House but don’t act like it. Republicans are either mired in chaos, failing to take necessary actions, or enacting unnecessary or performative laws. The chaos in the House started last year when Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz managed to oust then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Months later, Greene wants to do the same to Johnson, but this time she doesn’t have the much-needed support from other fellow Republicans. Johnson has defended his leadership against the threat, saying that he will not resign and warning that a vote to oust him could cause chaos in the House. This week, he received open support from Ted Cruz.
A silly move
“I think it is silly,” Cruz said during this Thursday appearance on RealClearPolitics’s radio show. “I think it is seriously counterproductive. I think Mike Johnson is a strong conservative who has been given an almost impossible task. He has a tiny majority in the House, just a two-vote majority,” he continued. “That means any three House members run off to the hills, and then the majority evaporates.”
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A state of chaos
Cruz mentioned that Greene’s campaign, launched in March and likely to reach the House floor soon, might cause disruption in the lower chamber and potentially shift power to the Democrats.
“And I think Marjorie Taylor Greene, to try to topple the Speaker increases the chances of chaos, it increases the chances of handing control to the Democrats,” Cruz said. “And there is zero chance a more conservative speaker will result, so I think what she’s doing is really unhelpful to the country.”
Little to no support
Only a few, such as Reps. Thomas Massie from Kentucky and Paul Gosar from Arizona, support Greene’s initiative. Despite limited support, Greene is moving forward, emphasizing the need to document legislators’ votes to clarify their positions on Johnson’s leadership in the lower chamber.
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Some staunch GOP members are also dissatisfied with Johnson’s willingness to engage in bipartisan agreements but are not looking to challenge his position until closer to the 2024 elections. Democrats have expressed a readiness to intervene and support Johnson to maintain stability, though they warn this support may not always be dependable.
