'Fight' or 'deal': House Republicans now 'expecting a government shutdown'

21 February 2024

In 2023, President Joe Biden and former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-California) managed to avoid a partial federal government shutdown —much to the dismay of far-right Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida), who triggered the "motion to vacate" that led to McCarthy being ousted from that position.

Now, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) finds himself in the same position as McCarthy: He's facing the possibility of a shutdown as well as the possibility of being ousted as speaker if he alienates members of the House Freedom Caucus.

According to Axios reporter Juliegrace Brufke, House Republicans "have shifted from optimistically cautious" to privately "expecting a government shutdown."

A Republican lawmaker, presumably interviewed on condition of anonymity, told Axios, "People are predicting a shutdown even if it's just for a few days."

In a report published on February 20, Brufke explains, "House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) will have to choose, in coming weeks, between a fight with Democrats that threatens a shutdown, or a deal with Democrats that threatens his job…. The government will start a partial shutdown unless a budget or spending stopgap is passed by March 1. It will go into a full shutdown if there's not a budget or stopgap by March 8."

A House Republican told Axios that "it's going to be difficult to do what we need to do" to avoid a shutdown "and not have someone" motion to oust Johnson as speaker.

"Republicans have no backup plan if they oust Johnson, and blaming Democrats for a shutdown would be a challenge if they descend into another embarrassing speaker race stalemate," Brufke explains. "There's still the option of another spending stopgap into late March or April. But by April 30, Johnson will likely have to make his choice."

Read Axios' full report at this link.

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