Rep. Lauren Boebert said that "it makes no difference" if GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson remains in his role or if a Democrat were to take over the position, Breitbart reported. The Colorado Republican made this remark following Democrats' promise to block Johnson's ouster if the GOP moves forward with it.
On Tuesday's The Lead on CNN, host Jake Tapper asked correspondent Manu Raju how lawmakers received Democrats' "unusual step" to save Johnson's job. "They announced that if needed, they would save the speakership of Mike Johnson, the very conservative Louisiana Republican, if individuals like Marjorie Taylor Greene and others tried to oust him," Tapper said to Raju.
"How are lawmakers responding to that?" Tapper asked. From the steps of the Capitol, Raju received the reactions of several GOP lawmakers, including Boebert's assessment that Johnson is nearly interchangeable with Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Boebert: “We are passing the Democratic agenda each and every day …So it makes no difference to me if it’s Hakeem Jeffries as speaker or Mike Johnson.”
Bowman says “I’m not” comfortable w Dems voting to save Johnson. “Because Hakeem Jeffries should be the speaker.” pic.twitter.com/R43Vwm7zqa
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) April 30, 2024
Although Raju reported that the reactions were "mixed" among lawmakers, Boebert did not mince words in her opinion. "We are passing the Democrat agenda each and every day that we’re here," she said of the Congress led by Johnson.
"We have a slim majority in the House, and everything’s being passed overwhelmingly with Democrat support. So, it makes no difference to me if it’s Hakeem Jeffries as speaker or Mike Johnson right now," Boebert charged.
Others whom Raju asked were more tempered in their assessment of the situation. "He’s under siege in a lot of different areas," South Carolina Republican Rep. Ralph Norman told him.
"No, I'm not...I think Jeffries should be Speaker," Bowman replied.
Johnson took over after Republicans kicked out then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in a vote in October, Fox News reported. Now, they're moving to do the same to Johnson, creating a revolving door among the leadership.
On Wednesday, Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Thomas Massie of Kentucky announced they will initiate a vote on removing Johnson next week. It appears there is less enthusiasm to do this again, but that didn't stop Greene from pushing for it anyway.
"We need leaders in the House of Representatives that are gonna get this done. Not working for Hakeem Jeffries. Not working for [President] Joe Biden, and not going to be twisted and lulled into continuing the disgusting practices of Washington, D.C.," Greene said.
Although Johnson is worried about his job, his statement following the move reflects the opinions of many. "This motion is wrong for the Republican Conference, wrong for the institution, and wrong for the country," Johnson said.
It's important for Republicans to hold their leadership accountable. However, frequently switching out lawmakers is a bad look and a destabilizing move for the Republican Party and the nation.
