Mike Johnson Defeated Over Proxy Voting

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) prevailed in a high-stakes rules showdown against Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), paving the way for the House to allow proxy voting for new and expectant parents, Punchbowl News reports.

Nine House Republicans joined with all Democrats on a rule vote, which sought to table Luna’s discharge petition to allow proxy voting for new and expectant mothers and new fathers to vote by proxy.

New York Times: “In using strong-arm tactics to try to block the measure, Mr. Johnson was attempting an extraordinary use of the speaker’s power to prevent the chamber from even considering a measure backed by half its members. But he failed to peel off enough Republican votes to block the proposal, instead receiving a public rebuke at the hands of members of both parties.”

The Hill: House Republicans torpedo Johnson effort to block proxy voting for new parents.