By Salam Bustanji
Rep. Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, won the election to become the new speaker of the House on Wednesday, ending three weeks of chaos since Rep. Kevin McCarthy's historic ouster and taking his place as second in line for the presidency.
Johnson, the fourth Republican nominee, clinched the title of speaker-designate after House Republicans rallied behind him on Tuesday night. This followed a series of nominations, including Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota, who withdrew within hours when unable to garner the crucial 217 votes needed for a full House victory. With a mere 221 Republicans present, the margin for success was notably narrow.
In a decisive move, Johnson garnered the unanimous support of all 220 attending Republicans, comfortably surpassing the 215-vote threshold required for victory. Meanwhile, all 209 Democrats present cast their votes in favor of Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, their party's House leader. Johnson's ascension followed Emmer's fleeting four-hour candidacy. Previous candidates, Reps. Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan, withdrew from consideration earlier due to their inability to unite the party.
Despite his relatively short tenure in Congress since 2017 and his absence of experience in House leadership, Johnson presented a detailed plan earlier in the week for passing crucial government spending bills. This blueprint garnered support from some of McCarthy's critics and underscored Johnson's widespread appeal within the Republican conference. This unified front signals a collective desire among lawmakers to move past the divisive speaker selection process and reopen the House for legislative business.
