Republican Mike Johnson was reelected Home speaker on Friday, narrowly profitable a showdown together with his social gathering’s right-flank after a last-minute help from President-elect Donald Trump.
Johnson was handed the gavel after a dramatic vote that noticed the Louisiana native on observe to lose on the primary poll minutes earlier than two Republican lawmakers approached the desk and altered their stance following what one known as a “full of life dialogue” with Trump.
Talking after the victory, Johnson pledged to implement Trump’s “American First” agenda.
“The American folks have known as on us to reject enterprise as common and throw out the established order,” he mentioned. “We should and we are going to heed their name.”
Rep. Mike Johnson is sworn in as Speaker of the Home after being re-elected, on the primary day of the 119th Congress on the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan. 3, 2025.
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Johnson entered the U.S. Capitol on Friday morning going through greater than a dozen undecided Republican members. He had spent the day earlier than assembly with the doable detractors in his workplace, and expressed confidence he would achieve success however dismissed the broader implications if he have been to lose on the primary attempt.
Moments earlier than the roll name vote started, Johnson publicly launched new commitments on spending and monetary duty seemingly geared toward satisfying a few of his skeptical colleagues, a lot of whom have been angered over his dealing with of the federal government funding struggle earlier than Christmas.
Rep. Victoria Spartz and Rep. Chip Roy confer in the course of the first session of the 119th Congress, forward of the vote for Speaker of the Home within the Home Chamber on the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 3, 2025.
Roberto Schmidt/AFP through Getty Photos
The transfer appeared to bode properly for Johnson because the vote kicked off and a number of other beforehand undecided Republicans solid their vote for him.
However hassle started when some Home Freedom Caucus members withheld their votes at first, not answering when their title was known as.
Then got here three Republican defections, successfully taking away Johnson’s slender path to victory.
Home Majority Chief Steve Scalise tallies the votes in the course of the Speaker election on the Home ground of the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 3, 2025.
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Rep. Thomas Massie casts his vote for Rep. Tom Emmer because the Home votes on a Speaker of the Home on the primary day of the 119th Congress within the Home Chamber of the Capitol, Jan. 03, 2025, in Washington.
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First, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky voted for Home Majority Whip Tom Emmer. Then Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina voted for Home Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan and Rep. Keith Self of Texas voted for Florida Rep. Byron Donalds.
The vote remained open for roughly two tension-filled hours.
Johnson was seen huddling on the ground with varied members of GOP management throughout that point. He then exited the chamber, returning to hunt out Norman and Self.
Johnson, Norman and Self huddled within the cloakroom simply off the Home ground.
They have been joined by another Republicans, together with Reps. Andy Harris, Andrew Clyde, Andy Ogles, Andy Biggs and Virginia Foxx.
Rep. Mike Johnson confers with representatives in the course of the first vote for the brand new Speaker of the Home on the primary day of the 119th Congress on the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan. 3, 2025.
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters
Rep Mike Johnson walks in entrance of Rep. Ralph Norman as representatives collect to vote for the brand new Speaker of the Home on the primary day of the 119th Congress on the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan. 3, 2025.
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters
President-elect Trump waded into the combo, working the telephones and chatting with Norman and Self throughout that huddle simply off the Home ground, ABC Information reported.
Self later confirmed the decision to reporters. When requested if Trump was indignant, Self known as it a “full of life dialogue.”
Johnson additionally mentioned Trump was a “huge issue” in Friday’s end result, saying he was on the cellphone with the president-elect whereas votes have been being counted and he was “humbled” by his assist.
After talking with Trump, Norman and Self walked again into the chamber at 2:30 p.m. and approached the clerks. They each modified their earlier votes to assist Johnson.
That gave Johnson the 218 obligatory votes to be elected.
“The tellers agree of their tallies that the overall variety of votes solid is 434, of which the honorable Mike Johnson of the state of Louisiana has acquired 218,” Home Clerk Kevin McCumber mentioned as he introduced the vote.
Republican Speaker of the Home Mike Johnson greets lawmakers as he re-enters the Home chamber after profitable the votes to take care of his place as Speaker of the Home on the Capitol in Washington, DC, Jan. 3, 2025.
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Republicans within the chamber broke out in a standing ovation.
Johnson was handed the gavel by Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries, who spoke for almost 20 minutes earlier than giving the ground to Johnson.
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries presents Rep. Mike Johnson the gavel after he was re-elected as Speaker of the Home on the primary day of the 119th Congress on the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan. 3, 2025.
Mandel Ngan/AFP through Getty Photos
Representatives of the 119th Congress are sworn in on the Home ground on the primary day of their session within the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 3, 2025.
Roberto Schmidt/AFP through Getty Photos
Johnson started his remarks with a second of silence for the victims of the track-ramming assault in New Orleans on New 12 months’s Day earlier than thanking members and laying out his imaginative and prescient for a Republican-controlled Home and Senate within the incoming Trump administration.
“I am grateful for this election, for the boldness this chamber has positioned in me. It’s the nice honor of my life to serve this physique with all of you,” Johnson mentioned as he addressed the room earlier than swearing in members of the brand new 119th Congress.
ABC Information’ Katherine Faulders, Jay O’Brien, Lauren Peller, John Parkinson and Arthur Jones contributed to this report.
