House Republicans will be forced to go on the record, defending or rebuking Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has drawn bipartisan condemnation over her embrace of far-right conspiracy theories, racist comments, as well as her past endorsement of violence against Democrats.

Democrats are expected to move forward Thursday with a vote that is all-but-certain to strip the Georgia Republican of her committee assignments. For Republicans, it represents a politically agonizing dilemma that underscores tension that has riven the party over the path forward since Donald Trump lost the White House. Do they support a newly elected colleague, whom Trump has praised as a “future Republican star"? Or do they side with Democrats and take action against Greene, who has suggested that school shootings were staged, voiced support for the baseless QAnon conspiracy theory and once said Black people “are held slaves to the Democratic Party.” 

On Wednesday, House Republicans blocked an effort by conservative hardliners to oust the No. 3 House Republican, Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., from her leadership role. Cheney, a daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, had enraged Trump supporters by voting to impeach him over the riot at the U.S. Capitol. In sticking by both women, McCarthy was attempting to placate both traditional conservatives and populists, like Greene, who emulate Trump. The moves were typical of McCarthy’s preference to avoid ruffling feathers as he charts his path to someday becoming House speaker.

With files from the Associated Press

Guest:

Tyler Pager, White House correspondent for POLITICO; he tweets @tylerpager