A small group of hardline Republicans forced a House floor vote to fail on Wednesday afternoon in an apparent shot at Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., for working with Democrats on a bipartisan path to avoiding a government shutdown.
Tensions flared in the Capitol as Republicans rebelled against their own party on a normally sleepy procedural vote.
It was followed by what appeared to be a heated confrontation between Johnson and Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, who has been leading criticism of the GOP leader since the government spending deal was announced.
HOUSE GOP ERUPTS IN DIVISION OVER CALL TO PUSH JOHNSON OUT OF SPEAKERSHIP: ‘WORKING FOR JOE BIDEN’
Both men were visibly animated, pointing at times and shaking their heads as the group of lawmakers and staffers around them grew larger.
Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., speaks during the Freedom Caucus news conference on the debt limit in the Capitol on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Thirteen members of the House Freedom Caucus and their allies voted against Republicans to sink what’s known as a rule vote, a major public setback for House Republican leaders as they deal with just a two-seat majority right now.
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A rule vote is a procedural measure made to clear the way for an ultimate House vote on a bill’s passage. It’s historically unusual for them to fail; before the current Congress, a rule had not failed since 2002. Republican hardliners have weaponized rule votes several times last year.
This story is breaking and will be updated…