Mike Johnson won election to his first full term as speaker of the House, overcoming hardline conservative opposition to keep the gavel for President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
Johnson won the support of all but one House Republican – Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who voted for House Majority Whip Tom Emmer.
In the end, Johnson won 218-215-1. It was, again, a sign of just how tenuous the GOP majority is.
But it was Trump’s personal intervention that helped put Johnson over the finish line following a dramatic floor vote. Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas) initially voted for Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) and Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) supported House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio). Along with Massie’s no vote, that put Johnson two votes short of what he needed to remain as speaker, threatening another chaotic, multi-ballot election similar to 2023.
But during a long pause in the proceedings following the first ballot, Johnson took Norman and Self to an anteroom off the House floor. Trump lobbied the two conservative hardliners to support Johnson, according to sources familiar with the call.
Norman and Self then returned to the well of the House and asked the clerk to change their votes to yes for Johnson, putting the Louisiana Republican over the top.
Self said he and Johnson discussed just who would be negotiating the reconciliation package, which will include a host of Trump priorities, such as extending the 2017 tax cuts.
“I was very frustrated with the 118th Congress, and that’s why we needed to shore up the processes, to make it more member-oriented for the Trump agenda,” Self said. “Because we needed more input from members like myself, not a chairman, not in a leadership position, and I think that’s what we have done.”
Self confirmed he spoke to Trump “a couple of times today.” But Self said Trump did not issue any kind of threats and instead focused on the need to execute the president-elect’s agenda.
Trump congratulated Johnson on Truth Social, saying that he will be “a great speaker.”
The dramatic moment was the final act in a fraught few days for Johnson. As we told you in the AM edition, Johnson spent all day Thursday meeting with the House Freedom Caucus and other holdouts. But Johnson’s effort failed to win over all his colleagues. In the end, Johnson needed Trump to help seal the deal.
A number of other GOP hardliners – Reps. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Andrew Clyde (Ga.), Paul Gosar (Ariz.), Michael Cloud (Texas), Andy Harris (Md.) and Chip Roy (Texas) – all voted for Johnson after failing to cast a ballot during the first call of their name on the House floor.
After backing Johnson, Roy and 10 other hardline conservatives released a letter urging the speaker to keep the House in session five days each week for the first 10 weeks of Trump’s presidency and follow through on other campaign promises. The hardliners also said that they still have “reservations” about Johnson, essentially putting the speaker on notice.
On Johnson. Winning on the first ballot was a major victory for Johnson, a speaker who stumbled into the job after Republicans pushed out Kevin McCarthy in October 2023. Johnson has had his ups and downs on the job. He was pilloried by conservatives for passing a massive Ukraine aid package in April. Hardliners also lashed out at Johnson for failing to pass a clean stopgap government funding bill last month.
In reality, Johnson’s real test will be this year. Trump has laid out an ambitious legislative agenda, including a large-scale tax cut package that he wants signed into law as soon as possible. Trump, of course, controls the legislative agenda. But it’s up to Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune to execute it.
On Trump. After failing to convince Republicans two weeks ago to pass a clean extension of the debt limit, Trump scored a victory in getting Johnson elected speaker. It would’ve been easy for Trump to stay out of this contest. But Trump endorsed Johnson and lobbied members to back him.
Trump made phone calls not only to Norman and Self but also to Roy. We’re told Roy wanted assurances from Trump that the president-elect wouldn’t publicly blast him on social media or threaten a primary challenge. Trump promised Roy he would lay off but also told the Texas Republican he needed him to vote for Johnson.
The unlikely partnership of Johnson and Trump – a reserved, highly religious Louisiana Republican and a thrice-married brash New Yorker – will be key to Republicans’ legislative prospects for the next two years.
An emotional Johnson introduced his wife and children during his acceptance speech following the vote, noting he didn’t get to do so 14 months ago.
“This is a momentous time in our nation’s history,” Johnson told members from the rostrum of the House. “The path to prosperity has long been paved with policies that put America and Americans first. And that is what we will do during the 119th Congress.”
