Washington — Rep. Tom Cole, an Oklahoma Republican who leads the House Appropriations Committee, expressed confidence on Sunday in House Speaker Mike Johnson's leadership despite facing a growing threat of being ousted. Cole emphasized that Johnson is "much stronger than people seem to think" and highlighted the "enormous reservoir of goodwill" supporting him.
"I actually think he's, you know, empowered the center and marginalized the extremes on each side," Cole stated during an appearance on "Face the Nation" on Sunday. "Now, is there some risk for that? Sure. But the point is, he's gotten a lot done. I think people admire him. They genuinely like him."
The Louisiana Republican has recently encountered resistance for his management of the government funding process, leading Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, to file a motion to vacate. This motion threatens to initiate a vote for Johnson's removal. The discontent was further fueled by Johnson's orchestration of a foreign aid package that faced opposition from some conservatives and was approved by the House on Saturday. While Greene has not specified a timeline for a vote on Johnson's removal, she has garnered support in recent days.
The movement to remove Johnson from office now counts three Republican backers: Greene, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, and Paul Gosar of Arizona, who recently declared their support for the initiative. With Republicans holding a slim majority, Johnson can only afford to lose one vote unless there is backing from Democrats.
However, Cole emphasized that the number of Republicans in favor of ousting Johnson is limited, stating that he does not expect the same level of Republican defection seen with Kevin McCarthy last year when he was removed from his position in October under similar circumstances.
"Many individuals hold the speaker in high regard, even if they have disagreements with him," Cole remarked. "They recognize his integrity and straightforwardness. Moreover, experiencing a three-week period without a speaker was a lesson they do not wish to repeat."
While all Democrats supported the removal of McCarthy, the same level of unity may not be present for Johnson. Cole suggested that there might not be unanimous Democratic backing to oust the speaker, especially among those who endorsed the foreign aid package, particularly the assistance provided to Ukraine.
"The recklessness of this act is now evident to both parties," Cole remarked. "However, if someone is determined to proceed, they are allowed to do so within the regulations."
