Mike Johnson owes everything to Democrats, and it could cost him his gavel
After months of House Speaker Mike Johnson dragging his feet, the House finally voted 316 to 94 to advance the foreign aid bills for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. Democrats made that happen—again. In fact, Democrats have been responsible for passing every key funding bill during Johnson’s tenure, a fact that continues to enrage the far-right Freedom Caucus. That, in turn, makes Johnson even more reliant on Democrats to keep his gavel. The importance of this week’s success in the House is hard to overstate. For the first time in decades, the minority party bailed out the speaker in the Rules Committee—the most powerful committee in the House—to advance the aid bills to the floor. In fact, it’s called “The Speaker’s Committee” because it’s the vehicle the speaker uses to send their priorities—which are typically the priorities of the majority party—to the House floor. Three Republican extremists on the Rules Committee, the group former Speaker Kevin McCarthy installed in his negotiations to get the job last year, rebelled, leading all four Democrats on the committee—Reps. Jim McGovern, Mary Gay Scanlon, Joe Neguse, and Teresa Leger Fernández—to do the previously unthinkable and approve the package, sending it to the floor. Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters that Democrats were united—this time—in helping Johnson. “Once we made that decision, it was clear that we would do what was necessary to make sure that national security legislation was considered by the entire House,” he said. They did just that, ensuring that the legislation moved forward Friday morning with Democrats in the majority—165 Democrats and 151 Republicans in favor. Which means that, at least for the purposes of this critical package, Johnson shared control of the floor with Democrats—a quasi-coalition government, for the time being. That will be cemented Saturday, when the House votes on final passage for the individual components of the package, and Democrats will undoubtedly hold the majority again. The White House applauded the vote, giving a strong endorsement to the package. "The world is watching what the Congress does. Passing this legislation would send a powerful message about the strength of American leadership at a pivotal moment," the White House budget office said in a statement. "The Administration urges both chambers of the Congress to quickly send this supplemental funding package to the President’s desk." The Senate could stay in session over the weekend to get the job done. Having President Joe Biden’s support, however, doubles Johnson’s jeopardy with as many as 55 Republicans—the ones who voted “no” on the floor Friday. Immediately following the vote, Arizona extremist Rep. Paul Gosar announced that he’s joining GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie’s effort to oust Johnson. Democratic leadership was ready Friday to stop it, warning members to "stay near the Floor" after the rule vote "as additional procedural votes are possible." Democrats told Punchbowl News that there would be “more than enough” of their lawmakers to table any motion to oust Johnson ... this time, anyway. With his one-vote margin for error and the now real threat of a coup attempt hanging over him, Johnson is relying on the kindness of Democrats, and they’re certainly going to keep reminding him of that. “We’re waiting to see if he is going to allow us to save our global security,” said Minority Whip Katherine Clark, “and make sure that America has its security.” RELATED STORIES: Mike Johnson may be speaker, but Democrats run the House The walls are closing in on GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson Another resignation means the House GOP's margin for error will shrink even faster It's an old story, but it never gets old: Democrats just whooped Republicans in fundraising—again. This week on "The Downballot" podcast, we're running through some of the most eye-popping numbers Democrats hauled in during the first quarter of the year (Sherrod Brown! Jon Tester! Colin Allred!) and the comparatively weak performances we're seeing from Republicans almost across the board. The GOP hopes to make up the gap by relying on self-funders, but a campaign without a strong fundraising network can be dangerously hollow. Embedded Content Campaign Action
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After months of House Speaker Mike Johnson dragging his feet, the House finally voted 316 to 94 to advance the foreign aid bills for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. Democrats made that happen—again. In fact, Democrats have been responsible for passing every key funding bill during Johnson’s tenure, a fact that continues to enrage the far-right Freedom Caucus. That, in turn, makes Johnson even more reliant on Democrats to keep his gavel.
The importance of this week’s success in the House is hard to overstate. For the first time in decades, the minority party bailed out the speaker in the Rules Committee—the most powerful committee in the House—to advance the aid bills to the floor. In fact, it’s called “The Speaker’s Committee” because it’s the vehicle the speaker uses to send their priorities—which are typically the priorities of the majority party—to the House floor.
Three Republican extremists on the Rules Committee, the group former Speaker Kevin McCarthy installed in his negotiations to get the job last year, rebelled, leading all four Democrats on the committee—Reps. Jim McGovern, Mary Gay Scanlon, Joe Neguse, and Teresa Leger Fernández—to do the previously unthinkable and approve the package, sending it to the floor.
Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters that Democrats were united—this time—in helping Johnson. “Once we made that decision, it was clear that we would do what was necessary to make sure that national security legislation was considered by the entire House,” he said.
They did just that, ensuring that the legislation moved forward Friday morning with Democrats in the majority—165 Democrats and 151 Republicans in favor.
Which means that, at least for the purposes of this critical package, Johnson shared control of the floor with Democrats—a quasi-coalition government, for the time being. That will be cemented Saturday, when the House votes on final passage for the individual components of the package, and Democrats will undoubtedly hold the majority again.
The White House applauded the vote, giving a strong endorsement to the package. "The world is watching what the Congress does. Passing this legislation would send a powerful message about the strength of American leadership at a pivotal moment," the White House budget office said in a statement. "The Administration urges both chambers of the Congress to quickly send this supplemental funding package to the President’s desk." The Senate could stay in session over the weekend to get the job done.
Having President Joe Biden’s support, however, doubles Johnson’s jeopardy with as many as 55 Republicans—the ones who voted “no” on the floor Friday.
Immediately following the vote, Arizona extremist Rep. Paul Gosar announced that he’s joining GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie’s effort to oust Johnson. Democratic leadership was ready Friday to stop it, warning members to "stay near the Floor" after the rule vote "as additional procedural votes are possible."
Democrats told Punchbowl News that there would be “more than enough” of their lawmakers to table any motion to oust Johnson ... this time, anyway.
With his one-vote margin for error and the now real threat of a coup attempt hanging over him, Johnson is relying on the kindness of Democrats, and they’re certainly going to keep reminding him of that.
“We’re waiting to see if he is going to allow us to save our global security,” said Minority Whip Katherine Clark, “and make sure that America has its security.”
RELATED STORIES:
Mike Johnson may be speaker, but Democrats run the House
The walls are closing in on GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson
Another resignation means the House GOP's margin for error will shrink even faster
It's an old story, but it never gets old: Democrats just whooped Republicans in fundraising—again. This week on "The Downballot" podcast, we're running through some of the most eye-popping numbers Democrats hauled in during the first quarter of the year (Sherrod Brown! Jon Tester! Colin Allred!) and the comparatively weak performances we're seeing from Republicans almost across the board. The GOP hopes to make up the gap by relying on self-funders, but a campaign without a strong fundraising network can be dangerously hollow.
