Mike Johnson re-elected as speaker

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Boosted by President-elect Donald Trump, Rep. Mike Johnson on Friday narrowly won his first full two-year term as speaker of the House, beating back a tiny right-wing rebellion that ultimately caved.

Johnson, a Louisiana Republican and self-described “MAGA conservative,” secured the 218 votes he needed to be re-elected speaker on the first ballot. The Democratic leader, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, received 215 votes.

In the end, just one Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., voted against Johnson.

With Johnson’s election, Republicans now officially control both chambers of Congress and they can begin to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration and the ambitious legislative agenda that he has promised voters. Congress is slated to certify Trump’s election victory on Monday, Jan. 6, the fourth anniversary of the Capitol attack.

A trio of conservative rebels initially voted to block Johnson from being re-elected speaker, defying Trump and threatening to paralyze the House, which cannot conduct any business until a speaker is elected.

They were among nine Republicans who publicly hesitated during the speaker’s vote — two initially voted for other candidates before flipping for Johnson, and six more withheld their votes during the first roll call. Those nine are notable as the GOP’s new rules package, if adopted, will require nine lawmakers to trigger a “motion to vacate” the speaker’s chair and remove Johnson — up from one member.

Massie, who has railed for weeks against Johnson, cast his vote for Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn. And Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., voted for Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, while Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, voted for Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla.

But that's when Trump began getting involved, making multiple phone calls personally urging the holdouts to rally behind Johnson to enact his agenda. In the middle of his golf game, Trump got on the line with GOP Rep. Nancy Mace who passed the phone to her South Carolina colleague Norman, the latter said.

"He said, 'Norman, we've got the most opportunity we've ever had, three houses ... the trifecta. You don't get that opportunity,'" Norman recalled. "And I said, 'Mr. President, I agree with you but I'm just hoping Mike has got the oomph to pull it off."

Later, before calling the vote to a close, Johnson huddled in the cloakroom just off the floor with Norman and Self, as well as key conservative members who voted for him — including House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., and past Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry, R-Pa.

Trump again was put on the phone with the holdouts, Norman said. The president's message to the group was "Get united!" according to Johnson.

They emerged roughly 20 minutes later and Self and Norman switched their votes, both backing the speaker. Following Johnson's election and swearing in, he swore in all House members; new senators were sworn in earlier in the day.

"President Trump is probably the most powerful president in the modern era, maybe in all of American history," Johnson told reporters after the vote. "And his voice and his influence is of singular importance.

"So, grateful to have his support. I’m humbled by it, and I think that was a big factor," the speaker added. "And he wants us to unify as a as a conference, and to get the job done and we must."

Self said he flipped to yes after securing a commitment from Johnson that more conservatives, including Freedom Caucus members, will be included on the internal GOP team that is negotiating the "reconciliation" package that will serve as the vehicle to enact Trump's agenda.

Congress is scheduled to certify Trump's presidential election victory on Monday. And, later in the week, former President Jimmy Carter, who died Sunday at age 100, will lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda from Tuesday afternoon until Thursday morning. Johnson and Thune are expected to speak at a congressional tribute shortly after Carter’s casket arrives