House Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good, R-Va., has distanced himself from GOP rebels threatening to oust Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. Good believes the appropriate time to pick a new House GOP leader would be in November, following tradition of an election after an election. Good was one of eight House GOP lawmakers who voted with Democrats to oust Johnson’s predecessor, ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, in October 2023. Despite Good being a vocal critic of Johnson’s leadership, he is wary of supporting calls for Johnson’s ouster due to the chaos that could ensue if a motion to vacate is triggered.
Good stated that there is a significant level of dissatisfaction within the Republican Party and believes that a contest for the speaker should be held in November, especially with the slim 216 to 213 margin currently in place. He emphasized the importance of waiting until November to address any issues with Johnson’s leadership, highlighting the differences between the situation now and the previous ousting of McCarthy. Rep. Thomas Massie threatened to trigger a vote for Johnson’s removal over his foreign aid plan if he did not step aside voluntarily. Massie is now supporting a motion to vacate resolution filed by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a critic of Johnson’s leadership.
Good, who does not have a close relationship with Greene following her ouster from the Freedom Caucus, refrained from commenting on whether he thought Greene’s attack against Johnson was misguided. He noted that the two members who signed onto the motion were critical of holding the previous speaker accountable and emphasized the difference in the current narrow majority compared to when McCarthy was ousted. Johnson released a statement indicating that he has no intention of supporting efforts to change the motion to vacate rule, as it requires a majority of the full House for a rule change, which they currently do not have.
The disputes within the House GOP highlight the division and dissatisfaction within the Republican Party. Good’s reluctance to support calls for Johnson’s ouster reflects concerns about the potential chaos and uncertainty that could result from such a move. The threat of triggering a vote for Johnson’s removal over policy disagreements, such as the foreign aid plan, adds to the tension within the party. Johnson’s rejection of changing the motion to vacate rule underscores the challenges faced in navigating power struggles within the House caucus. The upcoming contest for a new House GOP leader in November will likely continue to be a point of contention and uncertainty within the party.
