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Mike Johnson was re-elected speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday after striking a backroom deal with Republican rebels to secure a narrow victory in the House.
Johnson’s victory in the first round is a victory for Donald Trumpwho vigorously supported the Louisiana lawmaker for the top job in the lower house of Congress.
The vote ended with 218 yes votes Johnson215 for Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader in the House of Representatives, and one vote for another candidate.
The US legislature began its work at midday. The new Republican majority in the Senate takes office and the first task in the House of Representatives is to elect a new speaker for the smaller Republican majority.
Johnson, who replaced Kevin McCarthy after his ouster in October 2023, needed near-unanimous support to win re-election as Republicans control 219 seats compared to 215 seats held by Democrats.
Thomas Massie, a representative from Kentucky, opposed Johnson’s re-election and supported Tom Emmer, a Republican from Minnesota. Originally, Ralph Norman, a Republican from South Carolina, supported Jim Jordan of Ohio, and Keith Self of Texas supported Byron Donalds of Florida, but both switched their votes to Johnson after speaking to him in a room right next to the House floor.
Before the vote, Trump publicly called on Republicans to support Johnson. The vote is crucial in the short term because the House must have a speaker to certify Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election on Monday and pave the way for his inauguration on January 20.
“Good luck today to Speaker Mike Johnson, a great man with great ability who is on the verge of receiving 100% support,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform Friday before the vote.
“A victory for Mike today would be a major victory for the Republican Party.”
Longer term, Johnson’s slim majority could bode poorly for Trump’s ability to push his agenda through the House, because it would show that some Republicans are willing to defy his wishes and defy party discipline.
Johnson faced some opposition to his becoming speaker after dozens of rank-and-file Conservatives were upset when he made a proposal ahead of the Christmas holidays state financing agreement That required a compromise with Democrats to ensure its passage.
However, Johnson remained very close to Trump and his inner circle in recent weeks, coordinating plans to move his top priorities quickly through Congress and relying on the president-elect’s support to overcome resistance.
No other candidate has emerged as a possible challenger to Johnson for speaker, but Republican discontent is focused on the House Freedom Caucus, which includes the most ardent hardline conservatives. Members of the House Freedom Caucus are expected to remain a thorn in his side as he tries to pass Trump-backed legislation.
