Mike Johnson’s Future Decided in High-Stakes Speaker Vote
On Friday, Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) was elected as the 56th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, narrowly securing the position with a vote of 218 in his favor. The election followed a week of political maneuvering and uncertainty after multiple attempts to secure the role following the ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).
Johnson’s election came after the GOP faced internal divisions. Several Republican members, including Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY), Ralph Norman (R-SC) and Chip Roy (R-TX), initially voted for other candidates but later switched their votes to support Johnson, helping him secure the majority needed, The Post Millennial reports.
Despite the apparent divisions within the Republican Party, Johnson was able to rally enough support to win.
The final vote count showed Johnson with 218 votes, while Democratic leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) garnered 215 votes. Three members cast votes for other candidates. With the Democratic Party unified behind Jeffries, Johnson’s victory reflected the delicate nature of Republican unity, with some conservative factions showing resistance to his nomination.
Notably, Massie, who had expressed opposition to Johnson’s candidacy, voted for Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN), the former GOP Whip of the 118th Congress. Despite his earlier reluctance, Massie ultimately voted for Johnson in the subsequent rounds.
Other Republicans, including Reps. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Andy Harris (R-MD) and Mike Waltz (R-FL), refrained from casting votes initially but eventually joined in support for Johnson.
Johnson’s path to the Speaker’s position had been complicated by the passage of a government spending deal last month. The deal, passed after three failed attempts, was critical to averting a government shutdown.
Johnson faced pressure from within his party due to concerns over the deal, which had been a major point of contention for some conservative members. Despite the challenges, he ultimately won the support of a majority of his colleagues, needing 218 votes to secure the position.
In the lead-up to the vote, President-elect Donald Trump endorsed Johnson, praising him as a “good, hard-working, religious man” and asserting that Johnson would “do the right thing,” as TTOA reported on Monday. Trump’s endorsement played a significant role in galvanizing support among Republicans, with the former president adding, “We will continue to WIN. Mike has my Complete & Total Endorsement. MAGA!!!”
Alongside the leadership contest, a new rule was introduced in the House requiring that at least nine members of the majority party must support a motion to vacate the Speaker’s chair in the 119th Congress. Previously, a single member could initiate such a motion, as seen when former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) spearheaded the effort to remove McCarthy earlier this year. This change aims to strengthen the Speaker’s position and reduce the likelihood of another high-profile leadership challenge.
The re-election of Mike Johnson as House Speaker sparked mixed reactions among conservatives on social media.
“President Trump has a mandate, Mr. Speaker. We WILL hold you accountable to the MAGA agenda,” wrote conservative journalist Nick Sortor in a post on X.
Conservative commentator Rob Smith expressed his support, stating, “I support Donald Trump. Donald Trump supports Mike Johnson for Speaker. I voted for Donald Trump. I support Donald Trump’s agenda. Therefore, I support Mike Johnson for Speaker. Simple.”
Meanwhile, Jesse Kelly, another prominent conservative commentator, criticized dissenters within the party. “Tired of these RINOs like Thomas Massie getting in the way of steel-spined conservative warriors like Mike Johnson. America first!” Kelly wrote.
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After trump is sworn in they should remove the house soeaker