Mike Johnson secures Speaker’s gavel with support of all Florida Republicans

U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson. Image via AP.

In the U.S. House, the 19th time was the charm.

House members elected U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican. And for the first time during this Congress, all 20 Republicans representing Florida in the House voted in favor of the nominee.

Johnson emerged as the Republican nominee, beating out U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds of Naples. While Donalds rallied much of the Florida delegation during the intraparty battle, he endorsed Johnson ahead of a floor vote.

“My family and I are incredibly grateful for the prayers and support, especially over the last several days,” Donalds posted on X. “I am proud to vote for the gentleman from Louisiana, Speaker-designate Rep. Mike Johnson as the NEXT Speaker of the House. Let’s get to work.”

Johnson also captured the support of several members of the delegation who refused prior nominees.

Most notably, U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Fort Walton Republican, was the only Florida Republican who refused to ever support former Speaker Kevin McCarthy over a protracted, 15-ballot leadership battle in January. Earlier this month, he led the first successful ouster of a sitting Speaker in U.S. history.

After McCarthy’s ouster, the GOP conference initially selected Majority Leader Steve Scalise. But when it appeared Scalise had not shored up enough support to win a floor vote, U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a St. Petersburg Republican, announced she would not support him.

When Scalise pulled his name from consideration, the conference nominated U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, founder of the House Freedom Caucus.

But the decision to move so quickly to Jordan — after Scalise beat Jordan in a conference vote — irritated Scalise allies including U.S. Reps. Vern Buchanan, a Longboat Key Republican, Mario Díaz-Balart, a Hialeah Republican, and John Rutherford, a Jacksonville Republican. They all cast multiple votes against Jordan on the floor.

So did U.S. Rep. Carlos Giménez, who maintained for weeks the caucus should reinstate McCarthy after a wrongful ouster.

After Jordan lost three votes, the GOP Conference removed him as nominee.

That prompted a wider competition for the nomination, including Donalds. The conference, though, nominated Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota next.

But the selection of a moderate drew ire, including from South Florida’s Cuban American community and, more importantly, from former President Donald Trump. U.S. Reps. Cory Mills, a Winter Park Republican, and Greg Steube, a Sarasota Republican, both said they could not support Emmer on the floor. Ultimately, Emmer withdrew his candidacy as well.

But when the conference met late Tuesday, Johnson won and proved the consensus candidate for the conference.

He still proved a controversial candidate to some extent. Democrats, while nominating Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for Speaker for a 19th time, raised Johnson’s role in leading an unsuccessful legal challenge to President Joe Biden’s victory over Trump in 2020. That prompted Luna to shout “damn right” from the floor, according to The Messenger’s Stephen Neukam.