Initially 3 Republicans voted against Johnson but in the final moments of the ballot two switched for Johnson, handing him the gavel.
Here is the latest
- Norman: Trump Helped Johnson Win Gavel
- Keith Self Explains Flip
- Johnson Sworn In as Speaker
- Johnson Promises America First Agenda in Speaker Speech
- Trump Congratulates Johnson on Reelection as Speaker
- Jeffries: ‘We Will Work With Anyone’
- Johnson Elected Speaker on 1st Ballot
- Johnson Wins Speakership on First Ballot
- Norman, Self Change Votes, Paving Way for Johnson Win
- Johnson Appears Poised to Lose First Ballot
- Will a Protracted Speaker Battle Impact Trump’s Victory Certification?
- Keith Self Votes for Byron Donalds
- Norman Votes for Jim Jordan
- Massie Votes for Tom Emmer
- Thune Vows to Preserve Filibuster
- Speaker Vote Starts
- Johnson Makes List of Promises as Speaker
- 119th Congress Begins
Norman: Trump Helped Johnson Win Gavel
WASHINGTON—President-elect Donald Trump was crucial to House Speaker-elect Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) victory on the first round of voting, Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) told reporters after the vote.
Near the end of the first round of voting for the speaker—a task the House must perform before members can even be sworn in—Johnson seemed poised to fall short of the 218 votes he needed, in spite of Trump’s support for his bid.
Three Republicans, including Norman, Reps. Keith Self (R-Texas) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), initially voted for candidates other than Johnson, making it impossible for Johnson to hit the 218 minimum he needed.
Instead of moving to another vote, the first round was left open as GOP leadership tried to sway two of the holdouts. Massie had made clear that he was unmovable in his opposition.
According to Norman, pressure to change their votes came not only from Johnson—who at one point stepped out of the chamber to speak with Norman and Self privately—but also from Trump, who called the two persuadable defectors.
On that call, Trump told Norman that Johnson was the only House Republican with the “likability” to be elected speaker, Norman recalled.
But Trump also promised the defectors that conservatives would be “at the table in negotiations” on legislation. Norman cited Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) as an example of one such lawmaker who could be more involved.
Fortunately for Johnson, almost all members of the House Freedom Caucus supported him, including current and former leaders like Reps. Andy Harris (R-Md.), Scott Perry (R-Pa.), and, after initially abstaining when his name was called, Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.).
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), also a member of the caucus, voted for Johnson in the first round, but made clear she expected him to earn her support.
“Don’t let us down, Mr. Speaker,” Boebert said on the House floor.
In a statement on their vote, the House Freedom Caucus said, “Today, we voted for Mike Johnson for Speaker of the House because of our steadfast support of President Trump and to ensure the timely certification of his electors. We did this despite our sincere reservations regarding the Speaker’s track record over the past 15 months.”
But both the caucus and Norman—who’s a member of the group—said they expect rapid progress on government funding, budget reconciliation, and other priorities in 2025.
“This has got to happen in the next 12-13 months, whether it’s the DOGE commission, whether it’s folks on the budget, doesn’t matter,” Norman told reporters. “We got a short time frame to make it happen.”
In their statement, the House Freedom Caucus demanded that the House be highly active over the next year, and address a slate of issues ranging from border security to congressional stock trading.
Despite his initial opposition, Norman indicated that he had been assuaged in his conversation with Johnson, and said that Johnson’s approach differs from that of his predecessor, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).
“I think he realizes there was a growing number of us that one, just weren’t happy with the use of power [with] the speakership,” Norman said, referencing a common conservative critique of how the speaker’s authority has grown since Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) time with the gavel.
Norman said Johnson promised he would “push the conservative agenda [and] push Trump’s agenda.”
Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), who has served as the House majority leader since 2023, told The Epoch Times that the day’s events went “really well” for him and his constituents.
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), who was nominated for House speaker by Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas) on the first ballot, said that despite Self’s vote, he has no interest in being speaker in the future.
“No, I’m good,” Donalds told The Epoch Times. “Listen, they better be careful,” he added, referring to his congressional colleagues.
By Arjun Singh, Jacob Burg and Joseph Lord
Keith Self Explains Flip
Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas), who initially backed Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) in protest of House Speaker-elect Mike Johnson (R-La.), explained his decision to flip his vote to Johnson during the first round.
After the initial tabulation of ballots, Johnson had 216 votes—two shy of the threshold needed to be elected. That was because Self, alongside Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), initially voted against Johnson.
“My sole focus was advancing the Trump agenda,” Self said in a post on social media platform X.
However, after Johnson, Norman, and Self left the chamber to have a discussion in the hallway outside, both defectors switched their ballots to Johnson, allowing him to win on the first ballot with the bare minimum number of votes needed.
Self explained his motives for the switch.
“After receiving firm assurances from the Speaker that Republicans in the House will have strong representation during the budget reconciliation process—a cornerstone of President Trump’s agenda—I changed my initial vote,” he wrote.
Here, Self is referencing the budget reconciliation process, which will likely be used for a series of GOP bills related to taxes, energy, the border, and potentially other issues.
Many Republicans felt Johnson excluded the rank-and-file members from decision-making in the previous Congress, and his critics have made clear that avoiding a repeat of that is a top priority for them.
Johnson Sworn In as Speaker
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has been sworn in as the 56th speaker.
This followed him winning on the first ballot after three members initially voted against him, with two of them switching their vote for him.
The speaker then proceeded to swear in the members of the 119th Congress.
Johnson Promises America First Agenda in Speaker Speech
House Speaker-elect Mike Johnson (R-La.) vowed in his acceptance speech that he would aggressively pursue an America First agenda alongside President-elect Donald Trump during his second term in charge of the House.
“We have a mandate, and that was shown in the election cycle: the people want an America First agenda,” Johnson said, rejecting what he described as the former “America Last” approach to government.
“This Congress will renounce the status quo, and we will listen to the voices of the people. We will act quickly,” Johnson said.
The “number one priority” to that end, the speaker-elect said, is securing and enhancing the border.
“In coordination with President Trump, this Congress will give our border and immigration enforcement agents the resources that they need to do their job,” Johnson said.
“We will secure the border. We will deport dangerous, criminal illegal aliens, and finally, finish building the border wall.”
Priority number two for Republicans, Johnson continued, would be countering and reducing inflation. “We’ll defeat the harmful effects of inflation and will make life affordable again for America’s hard-working people,” he said.
He also mentioned a slate of other priorities: shoring up American manufacturing, extending the 2017 Trump tax cuts, deregulating and increasing energy production, and “pass[ing] legislation to roll back the totalitarian fourth branch of government, known as the administrative state.”
Trump Congratulates Johnson on Reelection as Speaker
President-elect Donald Trump issued a statement congratulating House Speaker-elect Mike Johnson (R-La.) on winning reelection as speaker.
“Congratulations to Speaker Mike Johnson for receiving an unprecedented Vote of Confidence in Congress,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“Mike will be a Great Speaker, and our Country will be the beneficiary. The People of America have waited four years for Common Sense, Strength, and Leadership. They’ll get it now, and America will be greater than ever before!”
Trump had thrown his support behind Johnson even as several House Republicans voiced concerns about the Louisiana Republican’s leadership. That endorsement likely played a large role in bolstering his support.
While three Republican members-elect initially voted against Johnson, only Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) opposed him in the end.
Jeffries: ‘We Will Work With Anyone’
Ahead of House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) addressing the lower congressional chamber after winning the speaker race on the first ballot, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) called for lawmakers to work together for Americans.
“It’s time for us to come together, not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans, to get things done for the people,” he said.
Jeffries said Democrats are ready to work with Republicans on issues such as border security but will “push back against far-right extremism whenever necessary.”
He emphasized Democrats will work to protect Social Security and Medicare.
Johnson Reelected Speaker on 1st Ballot
The U.S. House of Representatives on Jan. 3 elected Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) to reprise his role leading the lower chamber.
In a 218–215 vote, Johnson was elected on the first ballot despite short-lived hiccups early in the vote.
There were initially signs of a brewing mutiny among the House GOP caucus, as several members—beginning with Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Chip Roy (R-Texas)—expressed reservations or outright opposition to Johnson.
Normally, that wouldn’t be a problem, but with Republicans controlling just 219 seats, one above the majority threshold, Johnson needed the support of all but one member of his conference.
Despite President-elect Donald Trump’s endorsement of Johnson, there was no certainty about the outcome as the 119th Congress gathered for its opening day.
Johnson Wins Speakership on First Ballot
Speaker nominee Mike Johnson (R-La.) clinched 218 votes to reclaim the gavel on the first ballot.
The final tally was 218 for Johnson and 215 for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.).
Three Republicans initially voted against Johnson: Reps.-elect Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), and Keith Self (R-Texas). But in the final moments of the vote, Norman and Self changed their vote to Johnson, handing him the speakership.
Democrats were united behind Jeffries.
By Joseph Lord
Norman, Self Change Votes, Paving Way for Johnson Win
Reps.-elect Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) and Keith Self, after initially voting against Speaker nominee Mike Johnson (R-La.), switched their votes to Johnson.
This was on the first ballot—a drastic difference from January 2023, when former Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) won the gavel after 15 rounds of voting.
Johnson Appears Poised to Lose First Ballot
Speaker nominee Mike Johnson (R-La.) is set to fail to clinch 218 votes to reclaim the gavel on the first ballot.
The tally, as it stands, is 216 for Johnson and 215 for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.).
Three Republicans voted against Johnson: Reps.-elect Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), and Keith Self (R-Texas). Instead, other Republicans nominated for the role included Reps.-elect Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) and Jim Jordan (R-Ohio).
Democrats were united behind Jeffries.
The speaker’s battle will go to a second round. Johnson can only afford to lose one Republican.
Will a Protracted Speaker Battle Impact Trump’s Victory Certification?
As potentially extended battles to elect new speakers of the House of Representatives become more frequent, a common fear is repeatedly expressed in the national news media that the chamber cannot act until the new speaker is chosen.
An Oct. 4, 2023, headline in the Washington Post, for example, succinctly captured the fear, proclaiming “The House Can’t Function Without a Speaker.”
More recently, a USA Today news report on Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) prospects for keeping the gavel in the 119th Congress included the declaration that “members can’t tackle any other business until someone is chosen.”
The lower chamber in the 119th Congress can function without a speaker and has done so as recently as October 2023, when former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was removed by conservative rebels led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.).
Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) presided over the House as acting speaker while the House Republican Conference struggled before finally settling on Johnson to replace McCarthy.
The House convened at noon today for the first meeting of the new Legislature. The election of a speaker, the swearing-in of members, and the adoption of rules under which the chamber will operate are the first orders of business.
Fears that Johnson may be unable to keep the gavel are justified, thanks to the narrow Republican majority of 219–215. If all 435 members are present and voting, Johnson cannot afford to lose more than one vote.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) insists that he is a “hard no” on Johnson and half a dozen other conservatives such as Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) have held back on committing their votes either way.
Congress is required by the Constitution to meet in a joint session on Monday to count the Electoral College votes.
So, is it true the House can do nothing without first electing a new speaker and thus would be unable to do its duty on the Electoral College?
According to Matt Glassman—formerly a legislative procedures analyst for the Congressional Research Service (CRS) and now a professor at Georgetown University’s Government Affairs Institute—the answer is no. The House sets its own rules and can operate largely as the majority decides.
“The House can do whatever it wants,” Glassman told The Epoch Times. “Remember, at noon today, Johnson is no longer a leader in Congress, they are all just Members-elect, and the Clerk of the House is in the chair, and the highest privilege the Members-elect have is to try to elect a Speaker.”
Glassman said that “anyone who wants to demand that they keep … trying to elect someone can, but by resolution someone can make a motion on the House floor to either elect a Speaker Pro Tem, a temporary Speaker, or they can just elect someone as an actual Speaker, but with a common agreement that he or she will step down in three days.”
If the House majority was unable to exercise either of those options, Glassman said, then they could vote for a new rule making it possible to be sworn in before a new speaker has been elected. A temporary chairman could then be chosen for the specific purpose of participating in the joint session with the Senate on Monday.
In other words, the House does not shut down without a speaker.
Keith Self Votes for Byron Donalds
In an unexpected turn of events, Rep.-elect Keith Self (R-Texas) voted for Rep.-elect Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) for speaker.
With three Republicans voting against him, Johnson is expected to lose on the first ballot.
Norman Votes for Jim Jordan
Rep.-elect Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) cast his vote for Rep.-elect Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) to be the speaker.
With Rep.-elect Thomas Massie also voting against Johnson, the speaker battle appears headed to a second round.
Massie Votes for Tom Emmer
Rep.-elect Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) cast his vote for House GOP Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.).
Massie said he would not vote for Speaker nominee Mike Johnson (R-La.)
Thune Vows to Preserve Filibuster
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) opened his first floor speech as the Republican leader with a pledge to ensure that the Senate “stays the Senate” by preserving the filibuster.
A filibuster is an attempt to delay a vote on legislation or a confirmation by prolonging debate.
Thune said the rule today “has perhaps the greatest impact on preserving the founders’ vision of the United States Senate.”
Current rules require a 60-vote majority to invoke cloture and end debate—a high bar in a chamber that is often led by a small majority.
Republicans hold a narrow 53-seat majority in the Senate. With a few of President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks potentially facing difficult confirmation battles, Democrats may use the filibuster to stall the process.
Trump advocated for an end to the filibuster under his first administration, frustrated by the obstacle it presented to his legislative agenda.
Thune’s remarks could foreshadow future friction between him and the president-elect, of whom he made little mention. Instead, Thune stressed his duty to his colleagues and constituents and his intention to restore the Senate to “a place of discussion and deliberation … where all members should have a chance to make their voices and the voices of their constituents heard.”
Speaker Vote Starts
The speaker battle has officially begun as House members-elect are voting on who will get the gavel.
Speaker nominee Mike Johnson (R-La.) may not win on the first ballot. With full attendance, he will need 218 votes to win the gavel.
Democrats nominated their leader, Rep.-elect Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), for the speakership, though he is not expected to win.
Ahead of the vote, House GOP Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) said on the House floor that unified Republican control of Washington is “an opportunity to put America First again.”
Johnson Makes List of Promises as Speaker
As members-elect vote on the new speaker of the House of Representatives, with many Republicans again nominating former House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Democrats supporting Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Johnson has made a list of promises in a post on social media platform X to earn the votes of his constituents.
“Republicans have a real opportunity in the next two years to make meaningful spending reforms to eliminate trillions in waste, fraud, and abuse, and end the weaponization of government,” Johnson wrote.
“I will lead the House Republicans to reduce the size and scope of the federal government, hold the bureaucracy accountable, and move the United States to a more sustainable fiscal trajectory.”
If reelected speaker of the House, Johnson commits to three promises.
First, he will create a “working group comprised of independent experts” to work with DOGE and congressional committees to implement spending reforms that “protect the American taxpayer,” he said.
Second, Johnson promises to task that group with “reviewing existing audits of federal agencies and entities created by Congress—and issuing a report to my office for public release.”
Third, Johnson says he will request that House committees “undertake aggressive authorizations and appropriations reviews … to expose irresponsible or illegal practices and hold agencies/individuals accountable that have weaponized government against the American people.”
“Republicans have a mandate to implement the America First Agenda, and as Speaker, this will be my priority,” Johnson said.
119th Congress Begins
The 119th Congress has commenced.
The first order of business will be to elect a speaker. Speaker nominee Mike Johnson (R-La.) is looking to keep the gavel, but it could take a few rounds. Rep.-elect Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) has repeatedly said he will not vote for Johnson.
Before the speaker vote, there will be a vote to establish a quorum.
Johnson can only afford to lose one Republican vote as all Democrats are expected to vote for Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.). A speaker needs to win the majority of all votes cast; this would be 218 votes if all members are in attendance.
After electing a speaker, the House will pass a resolution establishing the rules of the 119th Congress. Members will then be sworn in.
