Greene and Massie welcome GOP haters after overwhelming ouster vote
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Photo: Allison Robbert/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie are expecting blowback after their failed motion to vacate was greeted with jeers, boos and taunts from their own colleagues.
Why it matters: The pair have zero regrets over their failed attempt to oust Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), arguing he is now the "Democrats' speaker."
- Loud boos could be heard on the floor, coming largely from Republicans, as Greene introduced her resolution.
- "This is the uni-party, for the American people watching," Greene said as the heckling rained down in her direction. "Uni-party" is often used as a conservative insult for bipartisan dealmaking.
After the vote, House Republicans said they hope Greene faces blowback.
- Rep. Carlos Jimenez yelled "you're not the Republican Party" at Massie and Greene as the two spoke with reporters.
- "I thought she was going to wisely withdraw ... but she went through it and ... got her a** kicked. So there should be a blowback," Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) told Axios.
- "My hope is that her voice is limited and that she loses some power and influence," Rep Max Miller (R-Ohio) said. "[T]hat was a huge smackdown that she just got, and if she doesn't see it that way, then she needs to get help."
"I don't know why she did it — everyone knew she didn't have the votes. I guess she'll use it in fundraising tonight," a House Republican told Axios.
The other side: Greene and Massie argued it is their Republican colleagues who will face backlash over the vote.
- "[T]hey're gonna go home and take an a** whipping from their base because they voted wrong on this," Massie said.
- Massie told reporters "we can't promise we'll never bring it up again. But you can take next week off," sparking further frustrations from his GOP colleagues.
- "Yeah, they probably want to kick me off committees, they probably want a primary us — go ahead," Greene added.
The intrigue: Former President Trump publicly encouraged members not to vote for the motion to vacate, arguing it would "show disunity" and "negatively affect everything," but refrained from taking aim at Greene on social media.
- But one Trump ally said that "she's off the rails and Trump and his team, they all know that."
Zoom out: Multiple GOP lawmakers called the vote an "embarrassment" for those leading the effort. But Greene argued that it had more GOP support than the effort to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).
- "[E]ight Republicans voted with all the Democrats to oust Kevin McCarthy. We had 11 Republicans voting no to the motion to table — that should speak loudly for everyone," Greene said.
- Reality check: Greene is comparing apples and oranges. Not all members who voted with Greene on the procedural vote were committed to supporting Johnson's ouster.
