Raj Shah, a spokesman for Johnson, said the speaker's focus is "on governing. He will continue to push conservative legislation that secures our border, strengthens our national defense and demonstrates how we'll grow our majority."
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who forced the vote to remove McCarthy as speaker, told reporters on Thursday that he doesn't support a motion to vacate the chair and evict Johnson.
"If we vacated this speaker, we'd end up with a Democrat," Gaetz told reporters. "When I vacated the last one, I made a promise to the country that we would not end up with the Democrat speaker. And I was right. I couldn't make that promise again."
Asked how that could happen, Gaetz said: "We'd have Republicans cross over. I worry that we've got Republicans who would vote for Hakeem Jeffries at this point. I really do. I take no joy in saying that. But you can only vacate the speaker if you know that the party leadership won't change hands. I knew that with certainty last time. I don't know it with certainty this time."
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene files motion to oust Mike Johnson as House speaker (nbcnews.com)
Essay Pro