Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) poured cold water on the prospect of Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) being ousted from his role, stating he does not think it “will ever happen.”
“It makes a lot of good news, doesn’t it? But this is what I think … I don’t think it’ll ever happen,” McCarthy said Monday while speaking at an annual membership meeting of the American Hospital Association.
“We just have to try to inspire. I think you just bring people in. I don’t believe this will ever happen. I don’t believe the Democrats will think it’s a smart thing to go along with it again,” he continued.
“If you elect the Speaker, have him serve the job,” he added.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) filed a motion to vacate the Speakership last month after Johnson helped pass a spending package to avert a partial government shutdown.
The motion was the same maneuver used to oust McCarthy last October, shortly after he supported a deal for a 45-day budget extension to avoid a government shutdown last September. That effort was led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who cited the national debt and broken promises made to the House GOP.
Greene has recently ramped up pressure on Johnson for his handling of government funding and his pledge to bring Ukraine aid to the floor, arguing the House should be focused on the U.S. southern border instead.
Johnson indicated he plans to bring Ukraine aid to the House floor sometime after the chamber’s latest recess, though the issue could prove challenging amid conservative opposition.
It remains unclear what form the bill could look like or how he plans to alter a $95 billion Senate bill that would combine aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with humanitarian help for Gaza.
Greene and Johnson met last week but failed to come to an agreement on these policy differences. The Georgia Republican said last week she will not give Johnson a red line or ultimatum about what would motivate her to force a vote on the motion to vacate, noting she wants to be “considerate” of her conference.
The meeting did not clarify her timing on when she plans to move forward, she added.