# The Great Ongoing Revolving Speakership of the 118th Congress {Mike Johnson is new speaker as of 2023-10-25} **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 12, 2023, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432 "2023-10-12T02:05:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 93
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1841 "2024-05-08T12:58:28Z")
Politico has an article up this morning that summarizes my thinking: [What if Mike Johnson is actually good at this?](https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/08/mike-johnson-house-speaker-congress-00156764) He was elected as the lowest common denominator Republicans could grudgingly agree to after exhausting themselves for weeks on the Speaker’s race. No one thought much of him, nor expected much from him. But he’s now passed the federal budget and supplemental assistance for allies with strong majorities. He dared the FC to do anything about it, and they showed themselves powerless. He’s apparently gotten MTG to back off her motion to vacate without offering anything in the way of concessions. Such a contrast to McCarthy, who progressively caved more and more to the FC for it to ultimately profit him nothing. Johnson’s taken the risks and let the FC put up or shut up – well they haven’t shut up, but they certainly didn’t put up either. Maybe he really is an effective Speaker. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1842 "2024-05-08T13:10:54Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > He’s apparently gotten MTG to back off her motion to vacate without offering anything in the way of concessions. Such a contrast to McCarthy, who progressively caved more and more to the FC for it to ultimately profit him nothing. He’s employing my old tactic for running things. “If you don’t like the way I did it, you do it.” No one else actually wants this job in this congress, and so no one will call him on that threat. McCarthy’s big problem was that he really, _really_ wanted the job, was willing to do or say anything to get it, and everyone around him knew that. Hell, everyone just watching that shit-show knew that. So the FC knew they had all the advantage, and that he’d give them anything they wanted. Not being desperate gives you a lot of staying power, if you want to use it. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1843 "2024-05-08T21:54:03Z")
Well, Margie pulled the trigger: [Greene officially starts the clock on vote to terminate Johnson - Live Updates - POLITICO](https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/05/08/congress/greene-triggers-johnson-ouster-vote-00156907) edit: LOL, and already lost the motion to table with only 11 Republicans siding with her. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1844 "2024-05-08T21:56:11Z")
Tabled, 359-43-7 196 GOPs and 163 dems joined to make that majority. She can’t say he did not have a majority-of-the-majority on this one. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1845 "2024-05-08T21:58:26Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > Maybe he really is an effective Speaker. He is better than his predecessor. Not as good at Pelosi. So, he is better than I expected. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1846 "2024-05-08T22:05:10Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > She can’t say he did not have a majority-of-the-majority on this one. But he can! ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1847 "2024-05-08T22:39:32Z")
It was rigged. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1848 "2024-05-08T22:57:11Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > She can’t say he did not have a majority-of-the-majority on this one. Uniparty! ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1849 "2024-05-09T00:02:48Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > It was rigged They rigged it by convincing more members to vote their way! I thought this was America! ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1850 "2024-05-09T00:03:41Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Uniparty! They’ve all joined the party of “No Empty Greenes”. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1851 "2024-05-09T00:23:56Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > They rigged it by convincing more members to vote their way! I thought this was America! [Washington GOP: We do not want to be a democracy – bad idea! (dailykos.com)](https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/4/29/2238068/-Washington-GOP-We-do-not-want-to-be-a-democracy-bad-idea) ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1852 "2024-05-09T01:08:16Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > rigged it by convincing more members to vote their way! Heheh, even DJT posted to the effect of “love ya, Marge, but really, we don’t need this”. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1853 "2024-05-09T02:01:42Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > edit: LOL, and already lost the motion to table with only 11 Republicans siding with her. So the idiots are a small rump of 12 members of the House. I hope they are just shunted off to the kiddie table from now on. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1854 "2024-05-09T02:11:43Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > Tabled, 359-43-7 Why did 32 Dems vote with MTG? ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1855 "2024-05-09T02:13:58Z")
They voted against Johnson. It’s absolutely normal for the opposition party to do this. The vast majority of Democrats voting for a Republican speaker is what’s atypical, at best. ETA: they actually voted just to have a vote. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1856 "2024-05-09T02:14:58Z")
> Johnson reiterated this week that he intends to run again for the House’s top spot if Republicans keep the majority Are any primaries going to center around Keep/Kick Johnson? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1857 "2024-05-09T02:16:00Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > They voted against Johnson. Did they honestly think they would get someone better or just wanted to watch the shitshow as the Pubs try to find the next speaker? ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1858 "2024-05-09T02:22:54Z")
My take would be they knew Johnson would get enough votes from other D’s so they voted how they felt about him or how they expect their constituents would want them to vote. Most of them are in the more Progressive wing such as Ocasio-Cortez. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1859 "2024-05-09T02:44:34Z")
I imagine those Democrats voted against the motion to table because they think the Johnson has been a bad Speaker. For as much as he’s ultimately been willing to allow fairly “clean” votes on must-pass items like the federal budget, he’s also rammed through highly partisan measures like the Mayorkas impeachment. From their perspective, a motion to vacate might not be able to put someone better in the Speaker’s chair but they couldn’t do much worse. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1860 "2024-05-09T03:06:10Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > My take would be they knew Johnson would get enough votes from other D’s so they voted how they felt about him or how they expect their constituents would want them to vote. Also, as mentioned, this was a _procedural_ vote on a tabling motion so some of the Nays would signal “I want to force an up or down ‘hard’ vote”. So yeah, safe votes to brag about principle to their constituencies. FWIW the nutjobs went into this themselves _knowing_ they’d fail, just not exactly by how much. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432.md?page=92) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432.md?page=94)