Following the first vote to elect a Speaker of the House of Representatives for the 119th Congress, former Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) failed to reach the threshold to retain the gavel as the first tally of the vote was 216-215-3. However, with Representatives Ralph Norman (R-SC) and Keith Self (R-TX) changing their votes for Speaker Johnson late in the process of the first ballot, Johnson has become Speaker once again. The final tally of the vote was 218-215-1.
This moment could've been a massive roadblock not only for Republicans in the lower chamber but for President-elect Donald Trump (R) as the 2024 election is certified on Jan. 6.
Speaker Johnson needed 218 votes or a simple majority and could only afford one defector, depending on the math if there were present/non-voting members. Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) voted for Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN). Every Democrat voted for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY).
If the 119th Congress had not elected a speaker by Jan. 6, the certification of President-elect Trump's victory could've been carried out following the election of a "temporary speaker" or an outright delay of the certification process entirely.
Trump endorsed Johnson on Friday morning with this message on Truth Social:
Good luck today for Speaker Mike Johnson, a fine man of great ability, who is very close to having 100% support. A win for Mike today will be a big win for the Republican Party, and yet another acknowledgment of our 129 year most consequential Presidential Election!! - A BIG…
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) January 3, 2025
"Good luck today for Speaker Mike Johnson, a fine man of great ability, who is very close to having 100% support. A win for Mike today will be a big win for the Republican Party, and yet another acknowledgment of our 129 year most consequential Presidential Election!! - A BIG AFFIRMATION, INDEED. MAGA!" said Trump.
Furthermore, Representative Kat Cammack (R-FL) has echoed Trump's statement of endorsement in the past, calling the Republican Party "the party of common sense," adding, "We have no time to waste; we have a mandate from the American people. Mike Johnson needs to be reelected as Speaker of the House so that we can get to work."
Additionally, she suggested that "everyday Americans could care less about who is Speaker, because what they want is for inflation to come down, prices to come down, [and] to get government out of their business and out of their everyday lives, and that is what we have to do. We cannot squabble over personalities and little things here and there."
Moreover, Representative Nathaniel Moran (R-TX) also stated that he was "proud to stand by" Trump and Johnson and will vote for him in the chamber.
Proud to stand by @realDonaldTrump and support @SpeakerJohnson as Speaker of the House for the 119th Congress. Mike is an honest, trustworthy, conservative leader of character who will lead the House well as part of the Republican trifecta. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/Dxx6iXVsyC
— Congressman Nathaniel Moran (@RepNateMoran) January 3, 2025
"Proud to stand by Donald Trump and support Speaker Johnson as Speaker of the House for the 119th Congress. Mike is an honest, trustworthy, conservative leader of character who will lead the House well as part of the Republican trifecta," said Rep. Moran.
Representatives Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Chip Roy (R-TX), and others remained silent when first called to cast a vote in the House Chamber during the first tally, but all three voted for Johnson when called upon a second time after the initial roll call was complete.
A video of Rep. Biggs initially refusing to vote can be seen below:
Rep. Andy Biggs didn't vote for Mike Johnson. pic.twitter.com/m5J1iS8Dio
— Real Mac Report (@RealMacReport) January 3, 2025
Speaker Johnson and Republicans will have a razor-thin majority in the House and will likely have to cross the aisle to get major legislation done in this Congress.
