Rep. Mike Johnson easily got enough votes to be elected home speakers Republicans were eager on Wednesday to elevate the little-known conservative leader to American power and temporarily end the political chaos in their majority.
Voting is still underway, and Johnson, of Louisiana, has the support of a majority of Republicans eager to put the unrest of the past few weeks behind them and stay in power.
As a junior member of the House Republican leadership team, Johnson became the fourth Republican nominee in what has become an almost absurd cycle of political infighting. Kevin McCarthy evicted Republican factions vie for power. While not the first choice for the party’s gavel, the devout and level-headed Johnson has few enemies and one important Republican backer: Donald Trump.
“I think he’s going to be a great speaker,” Trump told a New York court on Wednesday as the former president, currently the Republican front-runner in the 2024 presidential election, is on trial for alleged business fraud.
Trump said he hadn’t heard “any negative comments about him.” Everyone likes him. “
Without a House speaker for three weeks, Republicans have been squandering their majority — which is a maddening embarrassment to some, democracy in action to others, but nothing like how the House is expected to function .
Members of the far right reject more traditional speakers, while moderate conservatives don’t want hardliners. Although Johnson was unopposed in Tuesday night’s private roll call, about two dozen Republicans did not vote. more than enough sabotage his nomination.
But when Republican conference chairwoman Rep. Elise Stefanik stood up Wednesday to introduce Johnson as their nominee, Republicans gave her a standing ovation.
“House Republicans and Speaker Mike Johnson will never give up,” she said.
Democrats, who have renominated their leader, New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, have criticized Johnson as the architect of Trump’s legal campaign to overturn his defeat in the 2020 presidential election.
With Republicans only outdoing Democrats 221 to 212 in control of the House, Johnson only needs a handful of critics to win the gavel.
Overnight, support for Johnson began pouring in, including from the failed speakership candidates — hawkish Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan, while Majority Leader Rep. Steve Scalise, who backed Johnson after he was elected, also expressed support. won the nomination.
“Microphone! Microphone! Microphone!” lawmakers chanted at a press conference after late-night internal voting and posed for selfies around Johnson in a show of support.
Republican lawmakers, anxious and exhausted, are desperately trying to move on.
Johnson’s rise comes after a tumultuous month, with a head-spinning Tuesday that saw the emergence of a candidate, Rep., within hours. Tom EmerThe Republican whip secured the nomination, but after Trump attacked his nomination, he quickly withdrew when it became clear he would be the third candidate unable to garner enough support from his Republican colleagues.
“He’s not making America great again,” Trump said of his “Make America Great Again” campaign slogan.
Attention quickly turned to Johnson. Johnson, an attorney who specializes in constitutional issues, has rallied Republicans behind Trump’s legal efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.
Elevating Johnson to speaker would give Louisianans two senior Republican leaders, putting him above Scalise, who was rejected by hardliners in his bid for speaker.
Johnson was deeply religious, affable and well-liked, with a passionate belief system. Colleagues were quick to lend their support.
“Democracy can be messy at times, but it’s our system,” Johnson said after winning the nomination. “We’re going to restore your trust in what we do here.”
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who led a small group of hard-liners in plotting McCarthy’s ouster earlier this month, posted on social media, “Mike Johnson will not be the speaker the Swamp wants, but he The speaker America needs.”
Republicans have been restless all month, unable to carry out their day-to-day business as they battle among themselves and face daunting challenges.
Federal Government Risks closure That would be weeks away if Congress fails to pass appropriations legislation by a Nov. 17 deadline to keep services and offices running.More urgently, President Joe Biden has asked Congress to provide $105 billion in aid — Helping Israel and Ukraine deal with war and fortifying the U.S. border with Mexico. Without action, federal aviation and agriculture programs face expiration.
Many hard-liners have been resisting a leader who voted for McCarthy’s budget deal with Biden earlier this year that set federal spending levels that far-right Republicans disagree with and now want to undo. They are seeking deep cuts to federal programs and services ahead of next month’s funding deadline.
Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said she wants to ensure candidates will launch an impeachment inquiry into Biden and other top Cabinet officials.
During the turmoil, the House of Representatives is now led by the Speaker Pro Tempore, Rep. Patrick McHenryRegistered nurse, chair of the financial services committee wearing a bow tie. His main job is to elect a more permanent Speaker.
Some Republicans and Democrats want More power to McHenry Continue to handle day-to-day governance matters. But McHenry, who was the first to establish it as an emergency measure after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, declined to support the proposals. He also received a standing ovation.
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