Democrats agree to protect House Speaker Mike Johnson from Republican hardliners

Democratic leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries formally announced Tuesday that he would protect House Speaker Mike Johnson against a far-right-wing effort to oust him.

Joined by two key lieutenants, Jeffries, of Brooklyn, vowed that Democrats would side with Johnson if MAGA firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene follows through on her threat to try to unseat him.

“If [Greene] introduces the motion, it will not succeed,” Jeffries said in a statement.

Democrats effectively backed Johnson (R-La.) almost two weeks after he caved to their demands to allow a vote on desperately needed aid to embattled Ukraine after months of foot-dragging. Johnson and Democrats also worked together to enact must-pass spending bills over howls of outrage from MAGA right-wingers.

Greene (R-Ga.), a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump, wasted little time denouncing the Democratic announcement, calling it a “slimy backroom deal” to save Johnson’s hide.

“He should resign, switch parties, and continue voting for Biden’s [agenda],” Greene tweeted.

The outspoken lawmaker vowed to push forward with what now looks like a doomed effort to topple Johnson, if only to force her House GOP colleagues to go on the record on him.

“Americans deserve to see the uniparty on full display,” she said, using a derisive MAGA term for Republicans who cooperate with Democrats. “I’m about to give them their coming-out party!”

Despite the new threat, Greene did not immediately move to force a vote on Johnson’s speakership.

Johnson himself denied cutting a deal with Jeffries to save his skin and said compromising with Democrats comes with the territory in a divided Congress.

“I have to do what I believe is right every day and let the chips fall where they may,” Johnson said.

Two fellow extremists have signed on to Greene’s anti-Johnson rebellion. With the GOP holding only a slim five-vote majority, their votes would have been enough to end Johnson’s brief speakership if Democrats voted against him, as would normally be the case.

Trump gave Johnson a muted vote of confidence when the speaker journeyed to Mar-a-Lago before the Ukraine vote.

But Trump, who has vowed to cut off aid to Kyiv, later was noncommittal about helping Johnson hold on to the speaker’s gavel.