House Speaker Election: Rep. Mike Johnson Takes the Reins

Republican-Led House Elects Rep. Mike Johnson as New Speaker

The House of Representatives, currently led by Republicans, has elected Rep. Mike Johnson as the new House speaker. This significant leadership change follows the historic removal of Kevin McCarthy from the position. Johnson, a strong supporter of former President Donald Trump and a key figure in the unsuccessful attempts to overturn the 2020 election, now assumes the role of leading the bitterly divided House Republican majority. Additionally, he faces the imminent threat of a government shutdown next month.

Unanimous GOP Support for Johnson

Johnson received 220 votes, backed by unanimous support from the GOP. Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader from New York, received 209 votes.

A Chaotic Path to Johnson’s Nomination

Johnson, currently serving as the House GOP conference vice chairman, secured the nomination for the speakership late Tuesday evening. The nomination process was marked by tumultuous events. Initially, Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer was chosen by the Republicans as their nominee. However, Emmer withdrew from the race hours later due to strong opposition from the right flank of the conference and a rebuke from Trump. Eventually, a new nominee had to be elected, and Johnson emerged as the winner.

Unity Struggles Within the GOP Conference

The GOP conference is under mounting pressure as the House remains paralyzed without a speaker. However, Republicans have been unable to rally behind a successor to McCarthy following his unprecedented removal. The vote to oust McCarthy plunged the House into uncharted territory, leaving uncertainty about whether any candidate can secure the gavel in the aftermath of this historic move.

Uncertainty Surrounding Johnson’s Support

After the nomination vote, House Republicans conducted another vote to assess Johnson’s support within the conference. Around 20 members were absent for this vote, and Johnson can only afford to lose four votes on the floor. This creates uncertainty about whether he will garner enough support to secure the gavel.

The Path Ahead

Despite the challenges and uncertainty, Johnson expressed his determination to move forward. “Democracy is messy sometimes, but it is our system,” he stated on Tuesday evening. The plan is to proceed to the House floor the following day to officially solidify this decision.

A Series of Nominee Withdrawals

Emmer is the third Republican nominee to withdraw from the race after failing to secure the necessary votes for the speakership. This follows the withdrawals of Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio and Steve Scalise of Louisiana.

Opposition to Emmer and Trump’s Rebuke

Emmer faced swift opposition from the right flank of the conference and received a rebuke from Trump himself. On Truth Social, Trump referred to Emmer as a “Globalist RINO” and warned that voting for him “would be a tragic mistake.”

Read More of this Story at www.cnn.com – 2023-10-25 18:14:00

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