After Johnson Vote Speaker Floor Elected Re Dramatic Republican Mike House

Republican Mike Johnson re-elected House speaker after dramatic floor vote — Capitol Speaker Mark Washington Schiefelbein/ap Johnson In Mike Picture: At House The

Fri, 03 Jan, 2025 - 19:54

Lisa Mascaro, Farnoush Amiri and Kevin Freking, Associated Press

Republican Mike Johnson has won re-election to the US House of Representatives speakership on a first ballot, pushing past Republican hard-right holdouts and buoyed with a nod of support from President-elect Donald Trump.

A collection of hardline Republicans convened in the back of the House chamber during a tense roll call on the first day of the new Congress, one by one declining to vote or choosing another legislator.

The standoff sparked fresh turmoil, signalling trouble ahead under unified Republican control of Washington.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, accompanied by his wife Kelly Johnson, walks to the House Chamber before starting the 119th United States Congress at the Capitol in Washington (Jose Luis Magana/AP)

In the end, however, Mr Johnson was able to flip two remaining holdouts who switched to support him, drawing applause from Republicans.

As the most recent speaker, Mr Johnson’s weak grip on the gavel threatened not only his own survival but President-elect Trump’s ambitious agenda of tax cuts and mass deportations as Republicans sweep to power.

Newly elected House legislators started casting votes as Mr Johnson’s name was put forward for nomination by the Republican Conference chairwoman, Representative Lisa McClain (Republican-Michigan).

“No speaker’s perfect,” Ms McClain said.

But the goal is to make progress towards shared priorities for the country, she said.

“None of us will get exactly what we want.”

Democrats put forward their own leader, Hakeem Jeffries of New York, as the only one with a track record of compromise and achievement in the face of “chaos and dysfunction” under the Republican majority.

“House Democrats are united behind the most powerful legislative leader in this chamber,” said Representative Pete Aguilar, (Democrat-California), of Mr Jeffries, recounting the many times their votes bailed out Mr Johnson to ensure passage of important legislation.

Members bow their heads during the opening prayer as the House of Representatives meets to elect a speaker and convene the new 119th Congress at the Capitol in Washington (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)

With opposition from his own Republican colleagues, Mr Johnson arrived with outward confidence after working into the night to sway hardline holdouts.

“We don’t have time for drama,” Mr Johnson said as he walked into the Capitol.

The Louisiana Republican received a renewed nod of support from Mr Trump.

“A win for Mike today will be a big win for the Republican Party,” the president-elect posted on social media.