Gaetz: Ousting Johnson Will Give Us Speaker Jeffries

“If we vacated this speaker, we’d end up with a Democrat. When I vacated the last one, I made a promise to the country that we would not end up with the Democrat speaker. And I was right. I couldn’t make that promise again.

“We’d have Republicans cross over. I worry that we’ve got Republicans who would vote for Hakeem Jeffries at this point. I really do. I take no joy in saying that.

“But you can only vacate the speaker if you know that the party leadership won’t change hands. I knew that with certainty last time. I don’t know it with certainty this time.” – Matt Gaetz, on MTG’s motion to oust Speaker Mike Johnson.