Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA), a fourth-term conservative who is currently the vice chairman of the House GOP conference, has the Speaker’s gavel within reach and seems to be on the brink of ascending into the presidential line of succession on Wednesday afternoon.
Published October 25, 2023
Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA), a fourth-term conservative who is currently the vice chairman of the House GOP conference, has the Speaker’s gavel within reach and seems to be on the brink of ascending into the presidential line of succession on Wednesday afternoon.
When the House gavels in at noon, it is certainly possible that Johnson–a former conservative talk radio host and columnist who has been active in the religious liberty world of the American right–emerges as the 56th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
FILE – The speaker’s dais is seen in the House of Representatives of the Capitol in Washington. (J. Scott Applewhite, File/AP)
Johnson on Tuesday evening became the House Republicans’ Speaker-designate, after a multi-ballot vote that came immediately after House Majority Whip Tom Emmer’s candidacy fizzled slightly more than four hours after he won the same position. But something interesting happened for Johnson after he won the internal election following several rounds of voting: On a roll call vote in conference behind closed doors, not a single member voted against him–and only a handful voted present. One of those present votes in conference, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), now says he will back Johnson on the floor on Wednesday. But there were close to 20 absences, many of whom are expected to back Johnson on the floor, so it is as of yet uncertain.
For Johnson to win the Speakership, assuming all members of both parties are present and vote for a person, he would need 217 votes since there are two vacancies in the House right now. There are 221 voting Republicans, which means Johnson could only afford to lose four members. Since there are 212 voting Democrats, if Republicans have any present votes Johnson would need to put up at least 213 votes and depending on the vote math not have anyone voting against him, or very few.
It’s been a wild ride for House Republicans since former Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted from his position more than three weeks ago now. In the immediate aftermath of McCarthy’s ouster, House Republicans first elevated Johnson’s fellow Louisianan the House Majority Leader Steve Scalise as the Speaker-designate. Scalise’s candidacy failed, and he never even went to the floor. After Scalise, Republicans turned to House Judiciary Committee chairman Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), who tried three separate floor votes during the week in which he was Speaker-designate, but a total of 25 intransigents blocked him from getting the gavel. After that, the House GOP turned to Emmer, who like Scalise never went to the floor but unlike Scalise and Jordan held an in-conference roll call vote away from the prying public eyes. The opposition to Emmer was deeper than it was for Jordan, with 26 stalwarts against him–a number that exploded in growth after former President Donald Trump, the 2024 GOP frontrunner for president, stabbed him with a dagger of a post on Truth Social knifing any shot Emmer had of getting the job. The damage was done and Emmer withdrew his candidacy moments later.
READ FULL STORY
SOURCE: https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/10/25/speaker-election-livewire-louisiana-emerges-center-gop-universe-as-mike-johnson-eyes-gavel/
RELATED: House GOP gives Mike Johnson Speaker nod after whirlwind Emmer dropout
Published October 24, 2023
House Republicans nominated Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) for Speaker on Tuesday evening, making him the fourth GOP lawmaker to win the conference’s nod this cycle — and its second nominee within a day after House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) dropped out of the running amid GOP opposition.
Johnson’s nomination capped off a whirlwind day — but one that ended with House Republicans appearing to finally unite around a Speaker nominee.
In an internal roll call validation vote for Johnson, all but three GOP members who voted “present” said they could vote for Johnson for Speaker on the House floor. While at least a dozen members were absent, putting him under the 217-vote threshold in the room, Johnson signaled optimism that he would win their support, too.
“Democracy is messy sometimes,” Johnson, flanked by smiling GOP colleagues, said after the vote. “This House Republican majority is united.”
The intention, Johnson said, is to go to the House floor Wednesday.
“This is servant leadership. We’re going to serve the people of this country. We’re going to restore their faith in this Congress, this institution of government. America is the last best hope of man on the Earth,” Johnson said.
READ FULL STORY
SOURCE: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4273648-mike-johnson-wins-fourth-speaker-nomination/
RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Nine of the 25 RINOs Who Voted Against Conservative Favorite Rep. Jordan Will Now Vote for Rep. Mike Johnson for House Leadership
Published October 25, 2023
Nine of the twenty-five Republican lawmakers who voted against Rep. Jim Jordan, a staunch conservative and close ally of former President Donald Trump, decided to throw their support behind Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) for House Speaker.
Here are the 25 RINOS who betrayed We the People and opposed Jordan on the third vote on the House floor:
- Don Bacon (NE-2nd): Patrick McHenry
- Vern Buchanan (FL-16th): Byron Donalds
- Ken Buck (CO-4th): Tom Emmer
- Lori Chavez-Deremer (OR-5th): McHenry
- Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-26th): Scalise
- Anthony D’Esposito- (NY-4th): Lee Zeldin
- Jake Ellzey (TX-6th) Mike Garcia
- Drew Ferguson (GA-3rd): Scalise
- Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1st): McHenry
- Andrew Garbarino (NY 2nd): Lee Zeldin
- Carlos Gimenez (FL-28th): McCarthy
- Tony Gonzales (TX-23rd): Scalise
- Kay Granger (TX-12th): Scalise
- John James (MI-10th): Scalise
- Tom Kean (NJ-7th): McCarthy
- Jen Kiggans (VA-2nd): McHenry
- Nick LaLota (NY-1st): Zeldin
- Mike Kelly (PA-16th): Scalise
- Mike Lawler (NY-17th): McHenry
- Marinette Miller-Meeks (IA-2nd): McHenry
- Marc Molinaro (NY-19th): Zeldin
- John Rutherford (FL-5th): Scalise
- Mike Simpson (ID-2nd): Scalise
- Pete Stauber (MN-8th): Bruce Westerman
- Steve Womack (AR-3rd): Scalise
Johnson, a four-term Congressman from Louisiana, has a solid conservative voting record and is well-regarded within the party. While not as popular as Jordan, Johnson is seen as a unifying figure capable of bridging the gap between the party’s conservative and moderate wings.
The nine RINOS have announced their intention to vote for Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) for House leadership.
“Thank you Mike for your kind words in the Omaha-World Herald Public Pulse. Republicans are ready to unite and get back to work,” said Bacon.
“I support Rep. Mike Johnson as Speaker of the House. He will unify the GOP conference and get us back on track to funding the government, combating inflation, and passing a conservative agenda,” said Buck.
