- Johnson tells GOP to ‘end’ as incumbents defer challenges to colleagues
- Gaetz helps lead efforts to oust at least two Republican lawmakers
- He claims there are “Democrats in drag” who act like they are Republicans
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Speaker Mike Johnson is calling on his Republican caucus to “shut down” as a series of major challenges within the party threaten the GOP’s already slim majority in the House of Representatives.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) is helping lead the challenger efforts of some of his Republican colleagues who he says are “in drag” or simply Democrats masquerading as Republicans.
At least four incumbent Republicans in the House face fierce challenges in the primaries, with their colleagues actively supporting and campaigning against those trying to oust them.
Meanwhile, those on a revenge tour over the ouster of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy are seeking to target the eight Republicans who voted him out last year.
“I asked them all to cool it,” Johnson told CNN during the House GOP retreat in West Virginia last week, of any internal conflict. “I am vehemently opposed to member-to-member action in primaries because it is not productive. And that’s divisive for obvious reasons, and we shouldn’t engage in that.
He added: “So I tell everyone who is doing this to stop.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson wants members of his party to “put a stop” as infighting continues and current members support challenges to other outgoing presidents.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) is helping lead efforts to oust at least two of his current Republican colleagues because he says there are “Democrats in drag” acting like they’re Republicans.
There are currently 219 Republicans and 213 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives – and three vacant seats – meaning the Republican Party must retain all of its seats if it wants to maintain a majority next year.
Gaetz is actively involved in efforts to impeach incumbent Reps. Mike Bost (R-Ill.) and Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), saying those races are more important than attacking Democrats because the GOP can’t do anything do with RINOS. to the caucus.
“I would love nothing more than to go after the Democrats,” Gaetz told CNN.
“But if the Republicans want to dress like the Democrats, I’m going to sue them too,” he added. “Because at the end of the day, we’re not judged by how many Republicans we have in Congress. We are judged on whether or not we save the country.
The firebrand Republican led the successful charge to oust McCarthy last year, leading to an intensifying war between the Republican establishment leadership and the Republican Party’s most MAGA faction in Congress.
Half a dozen House Republicans, including House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers, are attending a fundraiser for Navy SEAL John McGuire, the Republican nominee challenging House Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good, multiple sources confirmed to CNN.
It’s likely part of a payback tour by the established wing of the Party for Good, which joined seven other Republicans in voting to oust McCarthy in October.
Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.) also voted to oust McCarthy and says he’s being targeted in his primary election because of that vote last year.
“You know how this town works,” Crane told CNN. “You can’t come here and start making waves without paying for it, can you?” »
“So the way I see it is good. It just reaffirms that I’m doing what I came here to do,” he added.
Meanwhile, a handful of House Republicans attend a fundraiser for Navy SEAL John Mcguire (pictured) in his primary challenge to House Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good, who voted to oust the president of the House, Kevin McCarthy last year.
Gaetz is supporting far-right YouTuber Brandon Herrera (pictured) in his bid to oust Rep. Tony Gonzales from his House seat for Texas’ 23rd Congressional District.
The primary fights between members are causing a huge headache for Johnson and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise as they try to maintain their majority in the 2024 election.
During a closed-door presentation at the annual GOP retreat in West Virginia last week, Johnson and Scalise discouraged members from supporting primary challenges to incumbents, sources in the room revealed.
But on the same day as those presentations, Gaetz in Texas rallied behind Brandon Herrera, who is challenging Gonzales in a May 28 runoff election.
“While the rest of my colleagues will be in retreat on Thursday, I will be early,” he said as several members of the anti-leadership party did not participate in the retreat this year.