U.S. President-elect Donald Trump shakes arms with U.S. Home Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) as he meets with Home Republicans on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., November 13, 2024.
Brian Snyder | Reuters
The Home of Representatives on Friday started voting on its subsequent speaker after outgoing Speaker Mike Johnson was nominated by Republicans and Democrats nominated Rep. Hakeem Jeffries.
Earlier Friday, President-elect Donald Trump once more referred to as on fellow Republicans to pick out Johnson as speaker.
Trump’s help on social media got here as Johnson — whose present time period as speaker expired at 11 a.m. ET — faces a doubtlessly very tight vote within the Home, the place the GOP holds an ultra-slim majority.
With all 434 Home members exhibiting up for the vote, Johnson will want almost each Republican to vote for him to change into speaker.
“Good luck at this time for Speaker Mike Johnson, a fantastic man of nice skill, who could be very near having 100% help,” Trump wrote in a Reality Social submit.
“A win for Mike at this time can be a giant win for the Republican Occasion, and one more acknowledgment of our 129 12 months most consequential Presidential Election!!” Trump wrote. “A BIG AFFIRMATION, INDEED. MAGA!”
Johnson, who represents a district in Louisiana, wants a majority of the Home members to change into speaker for the 119th Congress.
Republicans have 219 seats within the new Congress. Democrats maintain 215 seats.
That slim cut up signifies that, if each Home member is in attendance and each Democrat votes for the New Yorker Jeffries, Johnson will want a minimal of 218 Republican votes to be elected speaker.
If two or extra Republicans determine to vote for another person, Johnson’s general help would fall under 218, and he wouldn’t be elected speaker on that vote.
Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, beforehand mentioned he wouldn’t help Johnson.
Massie voted for Rep. Tom Emmer on the primary poll Friday.
Johnson was first elected speaker on Oct. 25, 2023, three weeks after then-Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-California, was ousted from that slot when a handful of Republican members joined each Democrat to vote for his elimination.
Johnson was the fourth nominee thought of to switch McCarthy.
McCarthy had solely been speaker himself for 9 months when he was eliminated — he was first elected speaker in January 2023 after 4 days of voting and 15 ballots.
That is growing information. Examine again for updates.
