Show vote: Republicans make political statement in going against Speaker Johnson

It was a “show vote” of a different kind in the House of Representatives Wednesday night. 

The vote showed which Republicans opposed a combination bill to avoid a government shutdown and require that people prove they are citizens to vote. It’s known as the SAVE Act.

“You’ve got to own your votes,” said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Tex., who advocated the two-step strategy to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. “I have no problem with my votes or what I’m standing up on or trying to accomplish for the American people.” 

The vote also showed that Republicans can’t advance any semblance of a spending bill on their own. The vote showed long-standing divisions in the House Republican Conference. Some GOPers voted no for a panoply of reasons. Some oppose interim spending bills – known as “Continuing Resolutions” or “CR’s – to start with. Others opposed attaching the citizenship/voting mandate to a bill like this. Some didn’t think there was any way to implement the citizenship requirement for voting before the election.

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It’s about the math. And the vote tally revealed that Johnson had little to show for his work.

Johnson’s plan crashed to defeat, 220-202. 14 Republicans voted no. Two Republicans voted present. Two Democrats voted aye. 

And the vote showed that the only way to avoid a government shutdown on October 1 is for Republicans to team up with Democrats. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is prepping an interim spending bill which will command bipartisan support. It’s likely the Senate adopts that measure, presenting the House with a take it or leave it proposition.

Wednesday night’s vote also showed that former President Trump is intent on forcing a government shutdown. He posted the following on Truth Social: “If Republicans don’t get the Save Act, and every ounce of it, they should not agree to a Continuing Resolution in any way, shape or form.” Mr. Trump accused Democrats of “registering Illegal Voters by the TENS OF THOUSANDS.” The former President then warned that Republicans have “BEEN PUSHED AROUND LONG ENOUGH BY THE DEMOCRATS.” 

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump, speaks during a rally, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Uniondale, N.Y.  (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., wants to trim spending. But this bill failed to do that, simply renewing all existing funding through late March. He also doubted it was feasible to put the citizenship provision into effect before November 5. Yours truly asked Mills if it was a “mistake” for Johnson to forge ahead with this vote.

“I think it is. I think that what we should be doing right now is that we’ve seen where these policy riders, this attempt to quote, unquote ‘jam the Senate,’ has continued to fail,” said Mills. “I’m disappointed with the way the 118th Congress has handled this entire session.”

Roy wasn’t in much of a better place than Mills – even though he supported the Speaker’s maneuver.

“We’re going to end up with a CR into December because certain people wanted to force this and be able to go out on Twitter and go down to the floor and pound their chest, that somehow, they’ve got the magic solution. But they’ve literally proposed no solution,” said Roy.

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This was a “show” vote of another form for Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga. Greene was one of the two GOP members to vote “present” on the bill. To her, the vote was Johnson showing what he might to do next – even though Johnson had a pretty good idea the bill would implode. Greene opposes Johnson’s probable next move: avoiding a government shutdown with the assistance of Democrats.

“I think many of us have expected him to do that the entire time. You set up your expectations based on history of action. And that’s what his history of action is,” said Greene.

Greene knows of what she speaks.

Congress voted on six CRs or “omnibus” spending bills since September 30 last year. Most of those were under the stewardship of Johnson. That’s why some like Greene aren’t impressed with Johnson. This is the same playbook that former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., ran last year.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene listens as former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo testifies before the House Oversight Select Subcommittee’s hearing on the Coronavirus Pandemic, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024.  (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

Perhaps voting to avoid a government shutdown last fall was the ultimate “show” vote. Shortly after that tally, House Republicans “showed” McCarthy the door.

Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, has criticized Johnson’s Speakership. But Davidson characterized Johnson’s decision to forge ahead with the vote on this CR as “smart.” However, Davidson lamented fellow Republicans who wouldn’t go to the mat on this issue. Davidson suggested that other members were involved in “showing” where they stand on the issue. 

“I’m disappointed that you’ve got what I sort of informally call the surrender caucus. There’s no formal designation of who that is. But it’s a combination of bedwetters who won’t fight for anything. And purists who won’t fight for anything unless it’s perfect,” said Davidson. “What ends up happening is deals keep getting cut with Democrats and everything that gets funded by Congress turns left. I think we’re likely to see another surrender now with a hollow promise to fight later.”

“This is a complete failure of the Speaker’s strategy. Again, we weren’t here in the entire month of August. We could have finished our 12 separate appropriation bills,” piled on Greene. 

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But House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., said Johnson’s actions since last fall showed him something. Just as Greene observed, Cole noted Johnson’s past performance. And that track record showed that Johnson isn’t interested in government shutdowns.

“If he ever wanted to shut down the government, he’s had a lot of opportunities to do that since he’s been Speaker. He’s never let it happen. I don’t think he ever will,” said Cole. 

“We ran the play. It was the best play. It was the right one. So now we go back to the playbook, drop another play and we’ll come up with a solution,” said Johnson after the failed vote Wednesday.

So there’s an impasse. But Johnson must show that he has a really good new play. But if his members didn’t bite on the first play, why is the second one going to be much better? There are the beginning stages of a short-term bill which would run through mid-December. 

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., was the other GOP member who voted “present” on Johnson’s original bill. Massie believed it was a “show vote” from the start.

“It’s a fake bar fight with balsa wood chairs and sugar bottles,” said Massie. “I was in the bar and I saw theater on both sides.”

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At some point next week, the Senate will skip through the parliamentary mechanics of an interim spending bill which runs through late fall or early winter. The provision about voting requirements drops by the wayside. The Senate will likely show the House that, despite reservations from some Republicans, it can pass a spending bill. It will then be up to the House to accept that bill or shut down the government just before the election.

That will likely be the last vote in Congress before the election. The shutdown is averted. And despite all the political gymnastics, the House will have little to show for it.