Republicans re-elect Mike Johnson as Speaker of the US House of Representatives in a tight vote | News about Donald Trump

The United States House of Representatives has re-elected Republican Mike Johnson as its speaker, in what is considered a nail-biting vote a test of party unity on the eve of the second term of the newly elected President Donald Trump in the White House.

But Johnson’s campaign to retain the speaker’s gavel did not go without a hitch on Friday.

Johnson emerged victorious after an uncertain first round of voting, as some members of his own party initially withheld their votes over issues such as his role in recent bipartisan budget negotiations.

He eventually won the presidency with 218 of the 435 votes cast, after two candidates – Ralph Norman of South Carolina and Keith Self of Texas – switched their votes.

Another 215 votes, all Democrats, went to Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Rep. Thomas Massie, who had vowed to reject Johnson, cast his vote for fellow Republican Tom Emmer.

The close vote underscored the narrow margin of control Republicans have over the House. With only 219 seats in the House of Representatives, Republicans will need almost every vote they have to achieve a party-line majority.

This could give certain members of the far right more influence over legislation as they exercise their power.

Friday’s vote for Johnson also put Trump’s ability to garner Republican votes under the microscope. He urged the party to support Johnson as he prepares to press ahead with an ambitious plan of tax cuts and mass deportations when he takes office on January 20.

New Congress for 2025

Voting for the position of president took place on the first day of the 119th Congress, after the general election in November. Republicans hold majorities in both the House and Senate after losing the upper chamber to Democratic control.

The race for the presidency was expected to be tight as the House of Representatives convened for its first session of the new year.

Several Republicans vowed ahead of the session to oust Johnson, particularly after he led a bipartisan push for passage provisional budget proposal in December.

Some objected to the lack of spending cuts. Others were frustrated that the bill did not address the federal borrowing limit, like President-elect Trump demanded.

But on Friday morning, leading Republicans appeared to rally around Johnson, including Trump himself.

“Good luck today to Speaker Mike Johnson, a fine man of great ability, who is very close to 100% support,” Trump wrote on social networks.

“Mike’s victory today will be a huge win for the Republican Party and another recognition of our 129 years of most consistent presidential elections!!”

While Trump had previously endorsed Johnson also said that “the others are very good.”

Later, in the House of Representatives, Rep. Lisa McClain, another leading Republican, gave a speech to nominate Johnson. She placed his leadership in the context of broader party priorities.

“We have an opportunity to put America first again. We have an opportunity to do something about crime. We have an opportunity to do something about the border. And we have an opportunity to take care of our veterans,” McClain said.

She appears to have briefly acknowledged the possibility of party disagreements over the vote.

“No speaker is perfect. And no one ever will be. However, achieving perfection requires incremental gains and tough decisions along the way. None of us are going to get exactly what we want,” McClain said.

Johnson himself exuded confidence when he arrived at the Capitol on Friday, after spending the night trying to win over staunch opponents.

“We don’t have time for drama,” Johnson said as he entered the Capitol on Friday.

Close vote

However, after the roll-call vote was taken, Johnson was initially shy of the 218 votes needed to win.

Three Republicans initially cast their votes for other candidates. Norman included Jim Jordan, Massie backed Emmer and Self put Byron Donalds forward.

Several other Republicans — including Chip Roy of Texas, another Johnson critic — did not offer a vote at all. But when asked after the first ballot whether they would support a candidate, Roy and others backed Johnson.

A group of Republicans – including several who did not speak – briefly left the House chamber with Johnson to negotiate. When they returned, Norman and Self changed their voices.

ua Friday fast on social media platform X, Massie explained why he would abstain, voting “hell no” to Johnson’s leadership. He expressed fear that Johnson would not be able to implement Trump’s legislative priorities.

“President Trump’s agenda must become law. Speaker Johnson has already shown that he is not the man to do that,” Massie wrote.

Trump’s agenda

The presidential pick comes after Republicans also elected John Thune as Senate Majority Leader, with Chuck Schumer representing the Democratic minority in the House.

Thune has vowed to follow Trump’s plan, despite the fact that Republicans hold just 53 seats in the 100-member House. That’s not enough for the 60-vote supermajority needed to overcome a filibuster, a means by which a minority delays or defeats legislation.

Both houses of Congress will face several controversial bills this coming year, setting the stage for fierce battles.

Congress will have to revisit funding the federal government when the current budget bill expires in March. It will also have to consider raising the debt ceiling – the amount the federal government can borrow – later this year.

The federal government is already more than $36 trillion in debt, and many Republicans in Congress are expected to demand significant spending cuts in the future.

The election of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, once considered a ho-hum ceremony, has become increasingly contentious in recent years. In 2023, the chamber passed 15 rounds voting over four days before Kevin McCarthy was chosen for the role.

Johnson, a low-profile conservative Christian attorney from Louisiana, was elevated to speaker after the party ousted McCarthy in the middle of the mandate.

After re-election, Johnson promised to “reject business as usual” in the House of Representatives.

“We will drastically reduce the size and scope of government,” he told members.