Mike Johnson elected House speaker with unanimous GOP support, ending weeks of chaos

Table Of Content

• Sessions eliminated after first round of voting, Emmer receives most votes
• Williams, Green out of speaker race after second ballot as Republicans move to third round of voting
• Rep. Mike Johnson has been elected speaker. Here's what to know
• Some of the Republicans who supported 2020 election lies have led the charge against Kevin McCarthy.
• Jim Jordan's speakership bid ends after third lost vote
• News

The package consists of four bills that were voted on separately and will be combined into one before being sent to the Senate. The first three bills include $60.8 billion to help Ukraine in its war with Russia; $26.4 billion to support Israel, which is fighting Hamas and Iran; and $8.1 billion to counter China in the Indo-Pacific. Humanitarian aid for Gaza, which Democrats said was necessary for their support, is also included.

Sessions eliminated after first round of voting, Emmer receives most votes

Emmer can only afford four defections in a vote on the House floor to still win the speakership. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida proclaimed on social media that she would not be supporting Emmer in a floor vote. "I've supported every Republican nominee to be Speaker of the House so far, but I will not vote for Tom Emmer on the House floor," he said. Rep. Kevin Hern, the chairman of the Republican Study Committee, told reporters that he decided to forgo his candidacy for speaker and is instead supporting Rep. Mike Johnson. House Republicans have begun voting on the first ballot for their speaker nominee after convening to elect a fourth candidate just hours after Emmer, who won the conference's nomination earlier Tuesday, withdrew his candidacy amid growing opposition.

Williams, Green out of speaker race after second ballot as Republicans move to third round of voting

It’s going to be rather damning for House Speaker candidate Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., if the House votes shortly after noon ET and he still fails to alter any votes. Nehls made the statement Thursday during another session of unsuccessful votes to determine a Speaker of the House. Rep.-elect Ken Buck, R-Colo., had to leave the nation’s capital Thursday afternoon for a medical appointment but is expected to return Friday, but after the first vote. The House of Representatives formally gaveled into session at noon Friday to resume voting on a speaker for a fourth day. Rep.-elect Austin Scott of Georgia, an ally of Rep. Kevin McCarthy, claims that Rep. Matt Gaetz's leadership in the GOP civil war against McCarthy is "very personal."

Rep. Mike Johnson has been elected speaker. Here's what to know

The House of Representatives headed into its eleventh vote to determine the House speaker on Thursday night as 21 Republicans continue to withhold their support for GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy of California. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., suggested the House may continue negotiations and votes on the speakership throughout the weekend if needed. A senior member of the House GOP leadership brass told Fox News Friday the thought is that the House will conduct at least one vote today at noon for speaker and then see where they stand. McCarthy has not yet gained the necessary 218 votes to become speaker as the House starts votes on its fourth day. "Kevin McCarthy understands, he understands he must protect that speaker’s gavel and abide the will of the American people," Nehls said. "The decisions we make in the 118th Congress are critical to the future of our country. The decisions we make, the legislation we pass as a Republican majority must have the support of the American people."

Gaetz remained unswayed by Trump's endorsement despite the pair being longtime allies. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has failed to secure the necessary 218 votes to win the speakership. There is a significant possibility a motion could be made on the floor of the House shortly after it gavels in today to adjourn for the day, forestalling any votes for speaker, Fox News has been told by several GOP aides. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., needs 218 votes to become speaker. Republicans have a slim majority of 222 lawmakers, so McCarthy can leave only four GOP minds unchanged.

Jim Jordan's speakership bid ends after third lost vote

The former president noted that all of them have supported him "in both mind and spirit" since he won the White House in 2016 and said the five candidates "are beyond reproach and represent the absolute best there is in the Republican Party." Former President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, his social media site, early Wednesday to urge House Republicans to back Johnson for speaker, less than a day after he effectively derailed Majority Whip Tom Emmer's own bid for the gavel. If all 221 Republicans and 212 Democrats mark themselves present, Johnson will need 217 votes to win the gavel. Two seats are vacant due to the resignations of Reps. Chris Stewart, a Republican from Utah, and David Cicilline, a Democrat from Rhode Island. "Today is the day that House Republicans will humbly look in our hearts and elect Mike Johnson as speaker of the People's House," she said. Shortly after 1 p.m., the House began voting for speaker, with Johnson as the Republican nominee and Jeffries as the Democratic nominee.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., tried three times to reach the 218 votes needed to secure a majority and become speaker but fell short each time. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, says leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., "burned himself" by attacking his Republican critics during Tuesday's three failed votes to elect him speaker. McCarthy can only lose 4 GOP votes and win the minimum 218 needed to be elected House speaker. The vote result Wednesday was a sign that McCarthy has not yet made any significant progress convincing the group of hardline Republicans to support him, and also signaled that these members appear to prefer anyone over McCarthy. One of Kevin McCarthy's prior supporters in the House speaker's race voted "present" in the fourth round of voting on Wednesday.

Live updates: Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana elected speaker of the House - CNN

Live updates: Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana elected speaker of the House.

Posted: Wed, 25 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

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Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., nominated McCarthy to be speaker at the start of the third round of voting. He said Republicans were elected to help Americans coping with inflation and energy insecurity, and said the best way to do that is to vote for McCarthy. McCarthy won 203 votes in both rounds of voting but needs 218 to win the speaker’s gavel. Jordan won 19 votes for speaker in the second round, and Republicans in the House Freedom Caucus hope to expand that number in the third round and show other GOP lawmakers that support can be built around someone other than McCarthy, R-Calif. The result set up required fourth vote in the House, which is likely once more to feature McCarthy and Jordan as the only two choices for speaker from the GOP side.

We’re counting on your continued support and further U.S. assistance to bring our common victory closer. This is the first time Hal Rogers of Kentucky swears in the speaker, following the death of Don Young of Alaska in 2022. “The motion to vacate is accountability,” he added, referring to the measure allowing a snap vote to remove the speaker.

"Yes," McCarthy told a reporter when asked if he would have the votes to become speaker Friday night. The voting for House speaker has entered its fourth day and its 12th round as McCarthy attempts to wrangle the 218 votes necessary to win the speakership. Their votes lowered the threshold required for McCarthy to win by making it easier for him to get a majority of those voting for a candidate. WASHINGTON — For days as hard-right lawmakers voted again and again to block him from becoming speaker, Representative Kevin McCarthy of California sat on the House floor with a grin plastered to his face. Mr. Gosar, who voted against Mr. McCarthy on multiple ballots but changed his vote to support him on Friday, spread numerous lies about the 2020 election and spoke at “Stop the Steal” rallies arranged by Ali Alexander, a prominent organizer.

"The reality is Rep. Kevin McCarthy doesn’t have the votes. I committed my support to him publicly and for two votes on the House Floor. 218 is the number, and currently, no one is there," Donalds tweeted Tuesday. "Our conference needs to recess and huddle and find someone or work out the next steps but these continuous votes aren’t working for anyone." McCarthy has failed to secure the 218 votes required to become speaker in six separate roll calls since Tuesday. Nineteen Republicans opposed him in the first two votes, but now his opposition has grown to 21.

Two of his most vocal opponents, Rep.-elects Matt Gaetz of Florida and Lauren Boebert of California, voted "present" which was aimed at lowering the minimum majority needed to win. Six members voted “present,” including notable holdouts Reps-elect Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., and Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., allowing McCarthy to take a majority of those voting for a candidate. The year was 1923, the last time the House required multiple days and repeated votes to settle on a new speaker before this week’s continuing stalemate over the candidacy of Representative Kevin McCarthy, Republican of California. Former President Donald J. Trump made a crucially timed call to Representative Matt Gaetz on Friday night after the Florida congressman voted “present” and sunk Kevin McCarthy’s 14th effort to be elected House speaker. Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas, who voted for Majority Leader Steve Scalise on each of the three ballots during House voting last week, said he plans to back Johnson when the lower chamber convenes to elect a new speaker.

Rep.-elect Andy Harris, R-Md., switched his vote to Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., Friday in the 13th ballot for speaker — marking the 15th switched vote as a majority vote nears. Republicans remain in disarray as House leader Kevin McCarthy attempts to persuade a handful of his GOP colleagues to support his bid for speaker, with some political insiders weighing how the intraparty chaos could influence voters who are looking ahead to 2024. When asked if McCarthy would be able to convince two GOP holdouts, Reps.-elect Eli Crane, R-Ariz., and Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., the California Republican replied, "I'll have the votes."