Republican Mike Johnson has narrowly secured re-election to the position of House speaker on the first vote, overcoming opposition from hard-right Republican factions after a tense struggle and receiving support from President-elect Donald Trump.
The tense atmosphere set the stage for an ominous beginning to the first day of the new legislative session.
A small group of uncompromising Republicans gathered at the back of the House chamber, each individually decided not to vote or selected another legislator.
Johnson’s face darkened with a mixture of concern and unease, hinting at turbulent days ahead, as Trump’s comeback to the White House and Republican’s consolidation of power in Washington loomed.
Ultimately, however, Johnson managed to persuade the final two holdouts to change their stance and support him, and Trump called one of the recalcitrant Republican lawmakers from the golf course.
The final score was 218 to 215.
Johnson, visibly relieved, promised to “declare an end to business as usual” in his first speech with the gavel.
“We will significantly reduce the scale and extend the reach of government,” he committed.
Johnson’s weak grasp of the presidency has put not only his own administration at risk, but also endangered Trump’s far-reaching plans for tax reforms and large-scale deportations as the Republicans take control.
A narrow vote margin revealed the difficulties Johnson is up against. Even support from Trump was not sufficient to guarantee his ability to remain in office.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jefferies sought to move beyond the Republican tumult of the past two years, suggesting it was time to put party differences aside “to get things done” for the American people.
A day that was once a ceremonial occasion, where newly-elected lawmakers would arrive to take their oath of office, often accompanied by their families, friends, and even their children, has transformed into a high-stakes election for the position of House speaker, one of the most influential elected roles in Washington.
Vice President Kamala Harris administered the oath of office to the senators.
Although the Senate can convene independently and has already selected its leadership, with Senator John Thune as the Republican majority leader, who stated that he would preserve the legislative filibuster in his first speech, and Senator Chuck Schumer leading the Democratic minority, the House must first choose its speaker, a position mandated by the Constitution, and ranking second in line to the presidency.
Donald Trump expressed his support for Johnson and was on a phone call at the time of the vote, attempting to influence the outcome.
“Mike will be an Excellent Orator, and our Nation will greatly benefit from it,” Trump stated on social media following the vote.
Congress has been in this situation before, as seen when it took Republicans almost a full week and 15 rounds of voting to elect Kevin McCarthy as speaker in 2023, an instance previously unseen in modern times.
