Republican Mike Johnson survived a slim majority to remain Speaker of the House in a highly anticipated and dramatic vote, marking the beginning of complete Republican control of Washington.
With Republicans narrowly controlling Congress, Johnson could only afford to lose two votes. He nearly lost reelection but survived the vote after lobbying.
President-elect Donald Trump had previously endorsed Johnson for Speaker of the House, saying “Mike’s win today would be a huge win for the Republican Party.”
In Washington, the Speaker of the House is one of the most influential roles. He controls the lower house of the U.S. Congress, second only to the President and Vice President.
Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, was supported by nearly all Republicans in his bid for reelection.
But this success was not without controversy.
To be elected Speaker of the House, a candidate must receive the support of a majority of the House of Representatives (218 votes). But because the Republican majority in the House is so thin, Johnson could only withstand the opposition of two Republicans.
Johnson had already had to face a clear “no” from Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky. I can take all my fingers out. I can put bamboo in them. In a Thursday television interview, Massie declared, “I can start chopping off my fingers.” “I’m not voting for Mike Johnson.” Several other Republicans marked their votes in the “undecided” box before voting.
On the first ballot, three of these undecided Republicans voted for other members rather than Johnson, falling short of the 218 votes needed.
Massie, Representative Ralph Norman of South Carolina, and Representative Keith Self of Texas nominated other candidates for the Speaker position.
This prompted Johnson to leave the House floor and convince members to support him. He returned to the house about 45 minutes later.
Norman and Self switched their ballots to Johnson’s favour.
The gavel fell, and Johnson was re-elected.
When Norman spoke with Johnson outside the House chamber, he changed his vote; he informed reporters after the election.
He said Johnson told him that if more conservatives were to be at the table during negotiations and that without outside input from other lawmakers, the agreement between the chamber and committee leadership would fade, and that there would be enough time to read the bill’s text before a vote was scheduled.
He knew and I knew in the event that it went to the moment poll it was reaching to get harder and harder.”
Another player got included all through the tense speaker decision—President-elect Donald Trump.
Norman spoke with Trump twice amid the speaker vote.
The primary time was when individual Republican Nancy Mace of South Carolina gave him her phone to talk with the president-elect. The moment was whereas assembly with Johnson, Self, and a few others.
“(Trump) is as eager,” Norman said of the call with the president-elect.
Norman said the president-elect too said Johnson is the one who has the ability to win the speaker race.
Self told correspondents after the vote that he talked with Trump some time recently and after the speaker decision.
He said he changed his intellect when Johnson vowed there would be more individuals, counting from the far-right House Flexibility Meeting, at the arranging table.
“We shored up the compromise group since we know that this will be an overwhelming lift to get the Trump plan over the line within the compromise line,” he said.
Friday checked the primary day of the 119th Congress. Republicans have bound together control of Washington, with larger parts in both the House and Senate and with Trump returning to the White House afterward in January.
It’s an incredible honor to continue serving our great country as Speaker of the House.
Now, let’s get to work. pic.twitter.com/22YITXHrvh
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) January 3, 2025
Amid his acknowledgment discourse, Johnson said that this Congress would winner the thought of America to begin with – a trademark advanced by Trump.
After Trump’s re-election, he said Americans are requesting their interests are put to begin with once more.
“And we’ll,” Johnson said.
Voting in an unused speaker is the primary necessity of the modern session of Congress, and without that leader in place, the chamber cannot move on to any other work.
This has driven to chaos within the past—counting when previous House Speaker Kevin McCarthy had to go through 15 rounds of voting some time recently he was affirmed to the authority post.
Minutes some time recently the vote on Friday, Johnson posted on X a few of his plans in the event that chosen.
