Mike Johnson elected House Speaker following vote flips

Mike Johnson secured the Speaker's gavel. Image via AP.

U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson has been elected as Speaker of the House, allowing the body to convene.

Johnson in his first speech vowed to “reject business as usual” as Republicans take charge.

“We’re going to drastically cut back the size and scope of government,” he promised.

The Louisiana Republican won 218 votes, the minimum needed to win, while U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat, won 215 votes.

Initially, Johnson was three votes shy, partly because Republican U.S. Rep. Keith Self of Texas supported U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, a Naples Republican, for Speaker. But Self changed his vote to Johnson before the House clerk closed voting. U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, a South Carolina Republican, initially supported U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican, but also changed his vote.

Johnson’s weak grip on the gavel has threatened not only his own survival but President-elect Donald Trump’s ambitious agenda of tax cuts and mass deportations as Republicans sweep to power. Even his close alliance and backing from Trump himself, usually a sure bet for Republicans, was no guarantee Johnson will stay in power.

Shortly after, members of Johnson’s leadership team escorted him to the dais for a speech, as did the entire delegation of his home state of Louisiana.

Once he arrived, Jeffries, the House Minority Leader, will hand him over the gavel as is customary to do, a nod to the peaceful transfer of power.

In 2023, it took 15 ballots to elect California Republican Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker, but he was ultimately ousted within a year.

In the end, one vote was cast for a choice beside Johnson or Jeffries. U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, supported U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota for Speaker.

Of vote, seven other House members initially did not vote for anyone for Speaker, but ultimately voted for Johnson.

New House rules require nine House members to be a part of any motion to vacate the Speaker post.

Jefferies attempted to push past the Republican tumult of the past two years, saying it was time to come together, put party politics aside “to get things done” for Americans.

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Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.