Johnson Survives Speaker Vote After GOP Holdouts Give Way

Rep. Mike Johnson (R., La.) won re-election as speaker of the House on the first ballot, after President-elect Donald Trump pressured Republican holdouts to change their votes, handing Johnson the narrow majority needed to claim the gavel.

- Lindsay Wise, Xavier Martinez and Natalie Andrews

Johnson's dramatic victory clears the way for Republicans to charge headlong into Trump's second term, taking on an ambitious agenda of tax cuts and border security. While Johnson avoided a repeat of the GOP's calamitous January 2023 speaker vote, the tally underscored how little room Johnson has to maneuver with the party's razor-thin margin.

It also showed the power of any small group of dissidents to derail the party's plans.

"Working together, we have the potential to be one of the most consequential congresses in the history of this great nation," Johnson said.

The chain of events previewed how Trump and Johnson will need to move in lockstep to get legislation across the finish line and tamp down dissent, even though the party controls both chambers of Congress and the White House.

While Trump was annoyed with Johnson over his handling of a short-term spending package last month, he has praised Johnson and said there is no plausible alternative.

Trump congratulated Johnson in a social-media post.

"Mike will be a Great Speaker, and our Country will be the beneficiary," he said.

Trump had thrown his support behind Johnson earlier this past week and lobbied lawmakers to vote for him, but House Republicans came into the day uncertain how the vote would go, given grumbling from members of the hard-line House Freedom Caucus and other lawmakers.

Republicans' 219-215 margin meant Johnson could afford no more than one GOP defection Friday, if all members voted for a candidate. Thomas Massie of Kentucky already had vowed not to back Johnson, while others had said they were undecided.

As the clerk read off all 434 members' names alphabetically, Massie stuck to his word and voted for another candidate, Rep. Tom Emmer (R., Minn.).

Reps. Ralph Norman of South Carolina and Keith Self of Texas also voted for candidates other than Johnson-leaving him shy of the 218 votes needed.