Why Marjorie Taylor Greene is Attacking Mike Johnson After Victory?

When Republican Mike Johnson was elected House Speaker in october after a dramatic 15-ballot contest, it was seen as a major victory for the conservative wing of the party. Johnson, a staunch conservative from Louisiana, was embraced by hardliners as a principled alternative to Kevin McCarthy. However, just months into his speakership, Johnson now faces backlash from none other than far-right firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene. In this article we talk about Why Marjorie Taylor Greene is Attacking Mike Johnson After Victory.

The Georgia Republican has accused Johnson of betraying conservative values through his deal-making with Democrats on must-pass legislation. She has gone as far as introducing a resolution to vacate the speakership, which would trigger a vote on removing Johnson from the role. This seems perplexing on the surface – why would a prominent right-wing member attack a speaker widely viewed as more ideologically aligned with her wing of the party? A few key factors help explain Greene’s insurrection against the new House leader.

Compromising on Spending Bills

One of Greene’s primary grievances is Johnson’s willingness to compromise with Democrats to keep the government funded. Hardline conservatives like Greene demand major spending cuts, but Johnson has agreed to bipartisan deals that maintain current funding levels. In Greene’s view, this amounts to breaking a promise to slash expenditures. The recent $1.7 trillion omnibus spending package had bipartisan input and passed the House quickly under a procedural move despised by conservatives. To Greene, Johnson drove a process indistinguishable from something previous Speaker Nancy Pelosi would have done.

Diverging Views on Ukraine Aid

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has also highlighted ideological splits among House Republicans. Greene vocally opposes sending any more aid to Ukraine, seeing it as wasteful foreign interventionism. Johnson supports continuing robust assistance to Ukraine, putting him crosswise with an “America First” faction that wants aid to stop or be severely restricted. If Johnson advances a Ukraine aid supplemental spending bill with bipartisan backing, Greene has hinted she would call a vote to remove him from the speakership.

Clashing Egos

Beyond policy differences, clashing egos may also be fueling the conflict. Greene likely sees herself as instrumental in toppling McCarthy and enabling Johnson’s rise to power. But now the Speaker is charting his own course and not bending to the demands of Greene or the Freedom Caucus he once aligned with. Greene’s insurrection may stem partly from bruised pride and resentment over Johnson no longer following her lead. Her attacks seem personalized against Johnson, including comparing him to “Mitch McConnell’s twin” and saying he has become worse than Nancy Pelosi.

Building Her Brand

Greene may also simply see political opportunity in attacking Johnson. She thrives on controversy and some speculate this is another attempt to gain headlines in right-wing media. Drawing attention to herself as a conservative fighter who even takes on Republican leadership builds her personal brand among the base. Whether her resolution succeeds or not, Greene frames herself as a principled truth-teller standing up to the party establishment.

Speaker Pushback

For his part, Johnson is pushing back firmly against Greene while trying to avoid inflaming tensions. He stated that while he respects Greene, they sometimes have “honest differences on strategy” in pursuing shared conservative goals. Johnson also warned that moves to remove him could empower Democrats and hurt Republican efforts to build their majority. Other Republicans have sharply criticized Greene’s targeting of Johnson as well. But in the razor-thin GOP majority, Greene still wields significant influence to create chaos.

The Bottom Line

Marjorie Taylor Greene’s insurrection against newly minted House Speaker Mike Johnson stems from a mix of ideological disagreements, clashing personalities, political opportunism and bruised egos on the right flank of the Republican caucus. Johnson treads a delicate line trying to govern without provoking his conservative detractors. Meanwhile, Greene shows no signs of backing down from her crusade to dethrone the speaker she recently helped elevate to power. Her ongoing attacks speak to the deep divisions still plaguing House Republicans even after resolving their bitter speaker fight. With figures like Greene and Johnson embodying the split, more GOP dysfunction likely lies ahead. I sincerely hope you find this “Why Marjorie Taylor Greene is Attacking Mike Johnson After Victory?” article helpful.