Republican Women Play The Feminism Card Against Mike Johnson

In recent months, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has faced repeated revolts from some of the most prominent female voices in the House Republican Party.

Republican Reps. Elise Stefanik of New York, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Nancy Mace of South Carolina and Anna Paulina Luna of Florida have all publicly expressed frustration with House leadership on various fronts. (RELATED: MTG Alleges Mike Johnson Is a Puppet Controlled by Trump White House)

The recent criticism from prominent Republican women comes amid falling approval ratings in the Republican-led Congress and reports of widespread dissatisfaction among members with Johnson’s leadership as the chamber struggles to address issues such as health care and stock trading.

In a December 8 New York Times (NYT) article titled “What is Congress for?” Mace wrote that former Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi “was a more effective Speaker of the House of Representatives than any Republican this century.”

Mace described Republican leadership under Speaker Mike Johnson as “restrictive and ineffective control with virtually no results,” arguing that important decisions are made by a small group behind closed doors. She added that this approach marginalizes rank-and-file members – especially women – writing: “Women will never be taken seriously until leaders decide to take us seriously. »

Greene echoed Mace’s criticism shortly afterward during an appearance on CNN’s “The Situation Room,” saying she’s “not holding my breath anymore” as she faces similar frustrations with Johnson’s leadership. The revolt of Republican women, she explained, comes from the conviction that “he is pushing us aside and not taking us seriously.”

Greene has become one of Johnson’s most vocal critics, filing a motion in March 2024 to remove him as speaker after urging him not to introduce the $1.2 trillion spending bill, denouncing it as “a Chuck Schumer bill, controlled by Democrats and coming from a ‘Republican-controlled’ House.”

More recently, she accused Johnson of marginalizing Republican women, ignoring their legislative priorities and failing to advance Trump-aligned initiatives. On Monday, she went further, calling the speaker “100 percent under direct orders from the White House,” according to the New York Times.

Greene plans to vacate her Georgia seat on Jan. 5 ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. (RELATED: MTG Says She’s Resigning From Office)

In response to claims that the President sidelined Republican women, a Johnson spokesperson fired back, pointing to his promotion of female lawmakers in the GOP-controlled Congress and his support of female candidates across the country.

“Not only has President Johnson elevated women to the level of leadership, he has also helped recruit and support women running for office, including several who serve on the President’s Joint Fundraising Committee and who have received an average of nearly $400,000 so far this year,” the spokesperson told the Caller. “This cycle, we have women running in 10 of the key districts we monitor. Our team is in contact with them and others across the country – just as we were in 2024 – as Speaker Johnson works to recruit strong conservatives who can win, help us grow our majority, and help us achieve our agenda.”

Greene also repeatedly criticized Johnson for delaying Greene’s “Children’s Innocence Protection Act” — which bans gender-affirming pediatric care — before the House passed it on Dec. 17, despite public promises from Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise on X.

Republican women in Congress are being ignored.

Our legislation is not taken seriously, even in our own majority!!

Mike Johnson promised a vote on my Children’s Innocence Protection Act. This bill would protect children from irreversible procedures and reflects the wishes of President Trump… pic.twitter.com/VRIbJeryqE

– Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) December 9, 2025

Stefanik, another prominent Trump loyalist who holds a leadership position in the House, also expressed his recent frustrations with Johnson.

Last year, Stefanik was chosen by Trump to be ambassador to the United Nations, but his nomination was withdrawn months later due to concerns about the slim Republican majority in the House. She then announced that she would run for governor of New York.

Her decision to end her candidacy and leave Congress followed a public rift with Johnson, whom she accused of dishonesty in a series of media appearances. In an interview, she called him a “political novice” and suggested he would lose the presidential vote if it were held today, according to a Wall Street Journal article.

I just came out of a briefing on this issue this morning, CONFIRMING everything I posted yesterday.

Yes, in fact, the President is blocking my provision to eliminate the illegal weaponry that led to Hurricane Crossfire, the Arctic freeze and much more. He sides with Jamie… https://t.co/6fVow5ALFV

– Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) December 2, 2025

The dispute appeared to ease in early December when Johnson told reporters the two had a “good conversation.” He said he called Stefanik directly to ask why she didn’t come to him first, leading to what he described as an intense but frank conversation, according to PBS.

Despite this, Stefanik did not fully retract her criticism, leaving a December 2 article accusing Johnson of misleading her colleagues after a provision she supported was left out of a defense authorization bill.

Responding in a post on X to Stefanik’s announcement that she would suspend her gubernatorial campaign and leave Congress, Johnson acknowledged that it was a “difficult decision for my friend and colleague Elise Stefanik.”

I know it was a difficult decision for my friend and colleague @EliseStefanikbut his determination to put family first is one that everyone will respect. Elise is an exceptional talent who has valiantly served the people of New York in Congress. She will continue to be a leading force… https://t.co/TSceyeiVqh

– President Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) December 20, 2025

The President wrote that her “determination to put family first” is something “everyone will respect” and praised her “exceptional talent,” adding that she will continue to be a “leading force” within the Republican Party. (RELATED: Elise Stefanik Went Full MAGA — So Where’s Her Support for Trump?)

Luna criticized leadership’s reluctance to schedule votes and filed a discharge petition — a tool that brings legislation to the floor with 218 signatures — to force action on a stock trading ban for members of Congress.

Warning of possible refusal, Luna wrote, “Leaders may close the House next week” and try to use his petition to ban stock trading — and reject petitions in general — as a “scapegoat” for their inaction.

Let’s move forward: There are rumors on the Hill that leaders may shut down the House next week and try to blame my impeachment petition for banning stock trading, and impeachment petitions in general, as the scapegoat.

Let me be clear, I did nothing wrong by forcing… pic.twitter.com/qpELT649ER

– Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (@RepLuna) December 10, 2025

The Speaker said MPs “should still be able to hold shares” and warned that a total ban could deter potential candidates from running for office. Johnson supports tougher rules on insider trading instead of an outright ban, according to A Punchbowl News report.

After Luna filed the petition on Dec. 2 and began collecting signatures, Johnson met with her and a small group of lawmakers in closed-door sessions. In an article after the meeting, Luna announced that Johnson and GOP leaders had committed to introducing “comprehensive legislation” on congressional securities trading in the “first quarter of 2026.”

Johnson and House Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil have begun briefing lawmakers on new proposed rules on insider trading, pointing to a potential separate legislative proposal for a floor vote as early as January, according to a Politico report.

Luna wrote in her post that she would keep her termination request active until that happens, but described executives as “taking this matter seriously.”

Most of these women are part of a growing trend of Republican members of Congress heading for the exit. Mace is running for governor of South Carolina, Stefanik will leave Congress at the end of his term after ending his gubernatorial bid, and Greene will resign at the start of the year. Luna is the only one in the group who plans to stay in her place.

Despite these high-profile criticisms, Republican women continue to hold influential leadership positions. Stefanik chairs House Republican leadership, Rep. Lisa McClain leads the Republican Conference and Rep. Virginia Foxx chairs the powerful House Rules Committee.

Additionally, three Republican women — Stefanik and Reps. Claudia Tenney of New York and Ann Wagner of Missouri — currently serve on the House Intelligence Committee. Johnson appointed all three directly, rather than through the standard GOP steering committee process.