Mike Johnson Secures Narrow Re-Election as US House Speaker
Mike Johnson has maintained his position as speaker despite facing several defections from within the Republican Party. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
The Republican has retained his position following an extended series of votes on Capitol Hill.
US House Speaker Mike Johnson has been re-elected in a closely contested, party-line vote. Johnson secured his position after a temporary halt in voting, during which several Republicans initially withheld their support.
On Friday, Johnson was elected with 218 votes against 215, with only Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie voting against him. All 215 House Democrats supported New York Representative Hakeem Jeffries.
With Republicans maintaining a slim 219-215 majority in the House, Johnson could afford just two defections. Initially, when voting commenced earlier on Friday, Reps. Ralph Norman of South Carolina and Keith Self of Texas joined Massie in opposing Johnson’s candidacy.
However, both lawmakers reversed their decisions after engaging in discussions with Johnson during a short recess.
Johnson succeeded California Rep. Kevin McCarthy as speaker in October 2023, after a faction of hardline Republicans removed McCarthy due to his perceived allegiance to the party’s more moderate, Democrat-friendly establishment. Although Johnson was previously seen as part of the GOP’s establishment faction, he has spent a significant portion of his speakership presenting himself as a steadfast ally of President-elect Donald Trump.
Trump endorsed Johnson on Monday, proclaiming in a post on his Truth Social platform that Johnson is “a good, hard working, religious man.”
“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,” Trump noted.
Johnson faced criticism from hardline Republicans last year for supporting large foreign aid measures, including one that allocated $65 billion in military assistance to Ukraine. The Louisiana lawmaker has since expressed that he no longer has “an appetite for further Ukraine funding” and has endorsed Trump’s consistent promises to bring the conflict to an end shortly after taking office later this month.
Alejandro Jose Martinez contributed to this report for TROIB News
US House Speaker Mike Johnson has been re-elected in a closely contested, party-line vote. Johnson secured his position after a temporary halt in voting, during which several Republicans initially withheld their support.
On Friday, Johnson was elected with 218 votes against 215, with only Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie voting against him. All 215 House Democrats supported New York Representative Hakeem Jeffries.
With Republicans maintaining a slim 219-215 majority in the House, Johnson could afford just two defections. Initially, when voting commenced earlier on Friday, Reps. Ralph Norman of South Carolina and Keith Self of Texas joined Massie in opposing Johnson’s candidacy.
However, both lawmakers reversed their decisions after engaging in discussions with Johnson during a short recess.
Johnson succeeded California Rep. Kevin McCarthy as speaker in October 2023, after a faction of hardline Republicans removed McCarthy due to his perceived allegiance to the party’s more moderate, Democrat-friendly establishment. Although Johnson was previously seen as part of the GOP’s establishment faction, he has spent a significant portion of his speakership presenting himself as a steadfast ally of President-elect Donald Trump.
Trump endorsed Johnson on Monday, proclaiming in a post on his Truth Social platform that Johnson is “a good, hard working, religious man.”
“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,” Trump noted.
Johnson faced criticism from hardline Republicans last year for supporting large foreign aid measures, including one that allocated $65 billion in military assistance to Ukraine. The Louisiana lawmaker has since expressed that he no longer has “an appetite for further Ukraine funding” and has endorsed Trump’s consistent promises to bring the conflict to an end shortly after taking office later this month.
Alejandro Jose Martinez contributed to this report for TROIB News
