Mike Johnson squashes another internal revolt

• Johnson, Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) and Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) were on the House floor Wednesday afternoon trying to persuade defectors, including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), to vote yes.
• Massie remained the lone GOP "no" vote, but Greene — along with Reps. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) and Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) — all flipped and voted yes.

Several moderates were also withholding their votes but ultimately backed the rule after conversations with leadership.

• The five-minute vote was held open for over an hour. It passed 215-211.

The big picture: House Republicans have increasingly tanked rule votes — the procedural step that opens debate on a bill and has historically fallen along party lines — to register opposition to leadership.

• Last week, GOP defectors took issue with name, image and likeness legislation that would provide a federal framework to help regulate college sports.

• Although the rule eventually passed, the bill was later scrapped once it became clear leadership didn't have the votes to move forward.
• Johnson has typically left votes open for hours while he works to sway holdouts. The House earlier this year broke the record for its longest-ever vote on a rule.

Behind the scenes: GOP leadership was worried about having enough support for the rule vote, as Axios reported Tuesday.