As House Speaker Mike Johnson continues to face criticism from conservatives over his support for Ukraine aid, Representative Anna Paulina Luna, a Florida Republican, warned on Friday of a possible GOP plan that would allow a Democratic House speaker if a motion to vacate is introduced.
Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, is facing mounting criticism from House conservatives as he pushed forward on a bill to provide supplemental aid to Ukraine, which continues defending its easternmost territories against Russia who invaded the country two years ago. Conservatives have said those funds should instead be spent to secure the U.S.-Mexico border rather than on American allies.
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, last month introduced a motion to vacate against Johnson, but it was unprivileged, meaning it did not automatically compel a vote. Greene has continued to warn Johnson against passing Ukraine aid, with Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, cosponsoring the motion this week.
In addition, following Saturday's passing of a $95 billion aid package that includes $60.8 billion of Ukraine aid, Greene continued to criticize Johnson in a post on X, formerly Twitter, writing "Mike Johnson's House of Representatives so proud to work for Ukraine. Not the American people!!! It's despicable!"
Meanwhile, during an interview on Rumble with Representative Matt Gaetz on Friday, Luna discussed the unprivileged motion to vacate Johnson and the possibility that a Democrat could become speaker.
"So I heard that if and when the motion to vacate is introduced that there will be immediate resignations of a couple more moderate members of Congress and in the event that happens that ultimately means that it does go to a Democrat speaker and so we're in a predicament," she said.
In a statement emailed to Newsweek, Luna reiterated her criticisms of Johnson, adding that the possibility of Democratic-controlled House "poses a greater risk."
"The Uniparty has prioritized foreign interests again and placed America last. Speaker Johnson has gone back on most of what he said when we elected him to be Speaker, rendering him almost unrecognizable as a legislator and the leader we chose. That being said, the possibility of a Democratic-controlled House poses a greater risk. We stand as the last barrier that has stopped Biden from completely ruining our country. Given our historically narrow majority, we must not allow the gavel to pass to the Democrats," she said.
Gaetz, also a Florida Republican, warned what it would look like if a Democrat were to be speaker.
"Let me tell you what a Democrat speaker looks like, their readout would be to declare Donald Trump an insurrectionist and setting up a barrier to him being the president of the United States...and then the chaser to that shot will be a massive spending package," he said.
Newsweek has reached out to Gaetz's office via email for comment.
Greene, Massie, and Representative Paul Gosar, an Arizona Republican, have come out in support of the motion to vacate, though other GOP members have ramped up their criticisms of Johnson.
Meanwhile, if a vote is held on the motion to vacate, Johnson may need to turn to Democrats to save his speakership due to the GOP's slim majority as Representative Mike Gallagher, a Wisconsin Republican, resigned at the end of Friday, leaving Republicans with only a 4-seat majority of 217 to 213 Democrats. Due to other vacancies, this would leave Johnson with room for only one Republican detractor, barring any Democratic support.
In response to the recent calls for Johnson to vacate, the House speaker warned about what a motion to vacate would mean for Congress during a press conference earlier this month.
"I don't think that would be helpful to us from a political standpoint for the Republican Party to continue to govern, maintain and keep our majority in November. I think that would have been a great hindrance to it. And so, that wouldn't be helpful. Nor does a motion to vacate help us in that regard, either. It would be chaos in the House," he said.
Luna's comments come after Gaetz has become increasingly critical of Johnson in recent days, but has not gone as far as to support the motion to vacate.
According to the Washington Examiner, Gaetz told reporters on Thursday that he believes at least one member of Congress could make a better leader than Johnson, floating Representative Lauren Boebert as a prospect.
"I don't know. Ms. Boebert could do better," he said when asked by reporters about who may be able to do a better job than the current House speaker.
Boebert, a Colorado Republican, has notably not expressed interest in becoming speaker and has not called for Johnson's removal.
Update 4/20/24, 5:10 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
Update 4/21/24, 6:36 p.m. ET: This article was updated with a comment from Luna.
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Natalie Venegas is a Weekend Reporter at Newsweek based in New York. Her focus is reporting on education, social justice ... Read more
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