House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., was reelected to his leadership role on the first ballot Friday, pushing past Republican holdouts and buoyed by support from President-elect Donald Trump.
A collection of Republicans convened in the back of the House chamber during a tense roll call on the first day of the 119th Congress, one by one declining to vote or choosing another lawmaker. The standoff sparked fresh turmoil signaling trouble ahead under unified GOP control of the federal government.
In the end, however, Johnson was able to flip two remaining holdouts, Reps. Ralph Norman of South Carolina and Keith Self of Texas, who switched to support him, drawing applause from Republicans.
Chief Deputy Whip Guy Reschenthaler, R-P.a., had this to say after Johnson won the right to retain the gavel: :The House’s first duty in the 119th Congress is electing a Speaker of the House – and I was proud to join President Donald J. Trump and my colleagues in support of Mike Johnson."
Johnson can now help usher in Trump's ambitious agenda of tax cuts and mass deportations as Republicans sweep to power.
Newly elected House lawmakers started casting votes as Johnson's name was put forward for nomination by the GOP Conference Chair Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich.
"No speaker's perfect," she said, adding the goal is to make progress toward shared priorities for the country.
"None of us will get exactly what we want," she said.
Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York was the Democrats' choice for speaker.
"House Democrats are united behind the most powerful legislative leader in this chamber," said Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., of Jeffries.
With opposition from his GOP colleagues, Johnson arrived confident after working into the night to sway hardline holdouts.
"We don't have time for drama," Johnson said as he walked into the Capitol.
He received a renewed nod of support from Trump. "A win for Mike today will be a big win for the Republican Party," Trump posted Truth Social.
What was once a ceremonial day with newly elected lawmakers arriving to be sworn into office, often with family, friends and children in tow, has evolved into a high-stakes vote for the office of speaker, among the most powerful elected positions in Washington, D.C. Vice President Kamala Harris was swearing in the senators.
Although the Senate is able to convene on its own and has already elected party leaders — Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., as the majority leader and Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., as the minority leader — the House must first elect its speaker, a role required by the Constitution, second in the line of succession to the president.
Congress has been here before, when it took Republicans nearly a week and 15 rounds of voting to elect former Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California as speaker in 2023. McCarthy was then ousted by his party, a historic first.
The stakes are higher this year as Trump prepares to return to the White House with the House and Senate in GOP control and promising to deliver big on a 100-day agenda.
Johnson has been working diligently to prevent defeat, spending New Year's Day at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida as he positions himself alongside the president-elect. The speaker often portrays himself as the "quarterback" who will be executing the political plays called by the "coach," Trump.
But Johnson also warned that without a House speaker there would be a "constitutional crisis" heading into Monday, when Congress by law is required to count the electoral votes for president, weeks before Trump is set to be inaugurated Jan. 20.
"We don't have any time to waste, and I think that everybody recognizes that," he said.
Johnson commands one of the slimmest majorities in modern times, having lost seats in the November election. With the sudden resignation of Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., the total dropped to 219-215. That leaves Johnson relying on almost every Republican for support in the face of Democrat opposition, though the typical 218 majority of 435 members needed could shift with absences and others voting only "present."
Newsmax contributed to this report.
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