Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) would overcome backlash from within his party and "survive" a motion to kick him out of his job, Republican Tony Gonzalez (R-Tx.) predicted.
“He will survive. Look, the house is a rough and rowdy place, but Mike Johnson is going to be just fine,” Gonzales told CNN.
Johnson angered some in his party by joining forces with Democrats to pass a $95 billion foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.
The bill passed with support from most Republicans and without any guarantees to secure the southern border, an issue Johnson had linked with foreign aid for months before changing direction.
A handful of Republicans, led by Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), have threatened to trigger a "motion to vacate," calling Johnson a turncoat.
Tony Gonzalez, a moderate who has been targeted by the party's right flank, asserted that Johnson will hold onto his job despite pressure from "scumbags" within the party.
“I served 20 years in the military. It’s my absolute honor to be in Congress, but I serve with some real scumbags,” he added.
While Republicans are divided over Johnson, it is the Democrats who will decide his fate by either coming to his rescue or working with hardline Republicans to oust him.
Democrats are relishing their position, but they do not appear ready to vote for Johnson's removal after he helped pass aid to Ukraine, a major priority of President Biden's.
Democrat Ro Khanna (Ca.) told ABC's This Week that Johnson "did the right thing here and he deserves to keep his job to the end of this term.”
Whether Johnson is removed or not, disillusioned Republicans say he has effectively relinquished control to Democrats already by compromising repeatedly on key issues. Greene doubled down on the removal threats in an interview with Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures, asserting that Johnson's Speakership is "over."
"Mike Johnson’s Speakership is over. He needs to do the right thing to resign and allow us to move forward in a controlled process, and if he doesn’t do so, he will be vacated,” she said.
"[Johnson] has completely betrayed Republican voters all over the country, and he is absolutely working for the Democrats."
For his part, Johnson has dismissed Greene's threats as nothing but noise. The country will soon find out who is right.
