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Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., will remain as House speaker after an effort, led by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, to oust him from the role failed.
Johnson said on “Fox & Friends” Thursday that the move was “misguided” and called on House Republicans to stick together with their very slim majority.
“We advance our conservative policies and principles as far as we can here, every single day up the field, in spite of the fact that we have the smallest majority in U.S. history. We can’t get 100% of what we want. And sometimes a handful of my colleagues demand that, and it’s just not possible right now. But we’re fighting. We’re going to get this job done. And I think that’s leadership in very difficult times.”
Taylor Greene, R-Ga., had been threatening to force a vote on taking Johnson’s gavel since late March in protest of his handling of government funding and foreign aid.
Greene appeared to catch most congressional watchers by surprise when she moved to force a vote on her motion to vacate the chair, the procedural move that would allow for the vote. She noticed her resolution as “privileged,” meaning House leaders had two legislative days to take it up.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), left, and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), right. (Getty Images)
MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE FILES MOTION TO OUST SPEAKER JOHNSON
But her bluff was called immediately Wednesday when House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., rose to call for a vote on tabling Greene’s motion — which effectively kills it before the vote on Johnson’s ouster itself.
Greene’s push got two more backers in Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., after Johnson ushered a foreign aid bill along bipartisan lines that includes $61 billion for Ukraine.
Johnson said it was “unfortunate” that the vote happened, adding, “I appreciate the overwhelming show of confidence by my colleagues to defeat that misguided effort.”
Johnson further emphasized the need for Congress to be functioning in the middle of conflicts.
“The country desperately needs a functioning Congress. We can’t afford the risk of shutting the House down, which is literally what happened last time. Imagine if we closed the House in the middle of hot wars around the globe, when China could move on Taiwan. Iran could fire a nuke at Israel. I mean, anything could happen right now.”
“The chaos and confusion do nothing but diminish our chances to save this country and hurt our cause,” he continued.
Johnson added that Republicans need to stick together, “moving as a team,” and said he is confident in Republican victories in November.
“We’re going to grow the majority in November. We’re going to take back the Senate, and Donald Trump is going to return to the White House. And when that happens, we will be able to turn this thing 180 degrees.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is forcing a vote on her motion to oust Speaker Johnson (Getty Images)
Johnson got overwhelming Democratic and Republican support for the table vote, which passed 359 to 43, averting a vote on Taylor Greene’s motion. Just 11 Republicans voted against tabling the measure, along with 32 Democrats.
Taylor Greene declined to say if she planned to force another vote, but accused Johnson of being aligned with Democrats after they helped save his job.
“That’s not something that I’ve said,” she said, when asked if she would try a repeat. “I think today it has proven the uniparty is alive as well. And the Democrats now control Speaker Johnson. That was something that everybody suspected all along. They just voted to save him. And I think that’s the message.”
With just a razor-thin majority of two seats, it would take little dissent for Johnson to lose the top House job if it fell along party lines. Eight House Republicans had voted with all Democrats to oust McCarthy in early October.
Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
VideoElizabeth Heckman is a digital production assistant with Fox News.
