Who Is Mike Johnson? Why did Marjorie Taylor Greene push to oust him? Here's what to know.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. is facing an ouster threat from his own party just five months into his tenure.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R- Ga., an ultraconservative lawmaker who has drawn criticism for promoting conspiracy theories, is leading the charge. Greene filed a motion to vacate against Johnson on Friday. It's a move that could boot him from his position, challenging his leadership after Johnson worked with Democrats to help pass a $1.2 trillion package to avoid a government shutdown.

If this all seems familiar, it’s because we’ve been here before. Just five months ago, a handful of conservative lawmakers voted with Democrats in the House to remove former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., from his leadership post.

Here's what you need to know about Mike Johnson, and where the push against his speakership could go next.

Who is Mike Johnson?

Johnson came to power on the heels of several failed votes to replace McCarthy last year. He ultimately secured the speakership because he was able to bring together right-wing lawmakers with more moderate members. The new speaker started in the House in 2017. He's currently serving his fourth term as the representative for Louisiana's fourth congressional district, which covers the Shreveport area.

Johnson has strong conservative credentials. He opposes expanding abortion rights and has advocated for hardline immigration reforms. He also previously fought against expanding LGBTQ rights.

He has also worked as a constitutional lawyer and served in Louisiana's House of Representatives. He served on Trump’s defense team during both of his Senate impeachment trials.

Why is Marjorie Taylor Greene trying to oust Mike Johnson?

While Greene often supported McCarthy, for her fellow conservatives, Johnson was originally seen as a welcome departure from the former speaker. Some viewed McCarthy as too moderate after he worked with Democrats to avoid a shutdown and raise the debt ceiling last year.

But Greene had warned Johnson from the beginning – she would move to oust him if he crossed certain lines.

For example, she warned Johnson that she would try to remove him if he tried to pass certain funding for Ukraine as it continues to fight off Russia's invasion.

Johnson has yet to put that funding up for a vote, as his focus was on the months-long effort to fund the government. But with that out of the way, Johnson has said funding for Ukraine is one of his next priorities.

Cue Greene’s “warning” to Johnson that may put aid to Ukraine at risk.

What comes next in the motion to oust Johnson?

Congress is on a two-week spring recess, so the motion to vacate remains in limbo for now. Greene did not force the resolution to be taken up by the House prior to the recess, arguing that she was laying the groundwork for a vote after Congress returns to Washington.

There is no vote currently scheduled. And unlike the effort to remove McCarthy, the fight to oust Johnson faces a larger uphill battle.

Many Republicans are simply not on board with the idea, still feeling the sting of the weeks-long, arduous process to elect a new speaker of the House that froze the lower chamber last year. The heavily-televised spectacle exposed deep divides within the Republican Party – something many in the GOP wish to avoid in the runup to the 2024 election.

Without the votes to move forward, Greene’s attempt to oust Johnson may languish in the halls of Congress.

Melissa Cruz is an Election Reporting Fellow for USA TODAY focusing on voter access issues. She is currently based out of Atlanta, Georgia. You can follow her on X at @MelissaWrites22.