The United States House of Representatives on Friday conducted a vote to elect a speaker for the new Congress, resulting in the re-election of Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican who first assumed the leadership role in 2023 following the unprecedented removal of Kevin McCarthy.
Johnson, backed by President-elect Donald Trump, faced scrutiny within his party due to his handling of the government spending standoff just before Christmas, which drew criticism from some members of the GOP’s far-right faction. This discontent resulted in Johnson losing several Republican votes in the initial round of voting.
Despite these challenges, Johnson managed to secure the necessary 218 votes after nearly two hours of deliberation, successfully staving off failure in the first round and earning a second term as speaker.
Initially, Johnson appeared at risk of losing the election, with three Republicans casting their votes for alternative candidates. However, a strategic move to meet privately with the dissenting lawmakers outside the chamber led to a crucial shift. Two of the defectors reversed their decisions, ultimately delivering the votes required for Johnson to retain the gavel.
The announcement of Johnson’s victory was met with a standing ovation from House Republicans, marking the culmination of a tense voting process.
