Live updates: Mike Johnson wins Speakership on first ballot after 2 ‘no’ votes flip

The House has adopted a rules package governing how it will operate in the 119th Congress.

It passed on a 215-209 vote.

Perhaps most notably, the rules package raises the threshold for how many members it takes to trigger a motion to oust the Speaker from one to nine members.

Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) agreed to lower the threshold to one as part of his 15-round Speakership battle in 2023. That very decision was used against him just nine months later when he became the first Speaker in history to be ousted.

Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) said he received assurances from President-elect Trump on the phone that Johnson would “fight” for House Republicans, ultimately convincing him and Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas) to back the Speaker.

Norman and Self both initially voted for other people for Speaker, appearing to deny Johnson a win on the first ballot. But Johnson and the two of them stepped out of the House chamber after the initial tally of the votes, and Trump talked to Norman and Self by phone.

Norman said Trump and Johnson assured them that Johnson would fight. He said he knew where Trump stood in support of Johnson, but the call helped.

“And that was my whole question,” Norman said.

Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas) said he had a “lively” discussion with President-elect Trump in between initially bucking Johnson in the speaker vote and switching to vote for him.

After an initial tallying of the votes, Johnson stepped out of the House chamber along with two of the three House Republicans who didn’t vote for him, Self and Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), during which Trump spoke to Self and Norman by phone.

Both of them switched their votes to Johnson, clinching him the Speakership, after the calls.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) was quick to share his disappointment that Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) was reelected to the House leadership position on the first ballot Friday.

Massie, on the social platform X, reposted a meme from another user depicting his own face.

The photo reads: “That face when… the same Republicans complaining about RINOs [Republicans in Name Only], nominate Mike Johnson for Speaker.”

Massie, who vowed early on to vote against Johnson, had nominated Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) to hold the gavel instead. Emmer, however, stuck behind Johnson and congratulated the Speaker on securing the top post.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has been sworn in as Speaker.

He then immediately swore in the 434 members of the House.

The House Freedom Caucus issued a list of demands to Johnson following his reelection as Speaker of the chamber.

The signatories said in a letter posted to X just after Johnson won that they voted for him because of their support for Trump and to ensure the certification of the election can be completed. But they said Johnson should have committed to modifying the House calendar to have five-day workweeks, ensure reconciliation packages reduce spending and the deficit and follow the 72-hour rule for legislation.

They called on Johnson to put forward legislation that will “fully” secure the border without expanding immigration or amnesty, cut the deficit and work to balance the budget, reverse the Biden administration’s policies and end stock trading among members of Congress, among other initiatives.

“Personalities can be debated later, but right now there is zero room for error on the policies the American people demanded when they voted for President Trump — the ones necessary to save the country,” they said.

The letter was signed by Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris (Md.) and Reps. Chip Roy (Texas), Scott Perry (Pa.), Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Clay Higgins (La.), Michael Cloud (Texas), Andy Ogles (Tenn.), Eli Crane (Ariz.), Eric Burlison (Mo.), Ralph Norman (S.C.) and Andrew Clyde (Ga.).

President-elect Trump helped solidify Johnson’s support in the final minutes of the Speaker vote.

The president-elect spoke with Reps. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) and Keith Self (R-Texas) before they changed their votes in favor of Johnson, sources told The Hill.

And Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) also called Trump when it became clear Johnson did not have enough votes to clinch the gavel, and spoke to the GOP defectors.

President-elect Trump congratulated House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) after he secured the gavel in the lower chamber Friday afternoon.

“Congratulations to Speaker Mike Johnson for receiving an unprecedented Vote of Confidence in Congress,” he wrote in a Truth Social post. “Mike will be a Great Speaker, and our Country will be the beneficiary.”

Trump backed Johnson’s bid for the Speakership after some hardline Republicans expressed concerns about his leadership.

“The People of America have waited four years for Common Sense, Strength, and Leadership,” Trump wrote. “They’ll get it now, and America will be greater than ever before!”

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) took to social media Friday afternoon after Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) won the vote to remain in the leadership position.

“Congratulations to @SpeakerJohnson on his re-election to lead our conference through the 119th Congress,” Emmer wrote on the social platform X following the vote.

“Under his leadership, House Republicans are ready to work with President @realDonaldTrump to fix our economy, secure our borders, unleash American energy, and lower taxes for hardworking families,” he continued in the post. “The American people are counting on us, and the @HouseGOP will deliver.”

Emmer had also been nominated Friday for the role by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who continuously voiced his opposition to Johnson. Other nominees floated were Reps. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) and Jim Jordan (R-Ohio).

Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) issued a warning to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) after he secured the gavel for the next session of Congress.

“Everything we do needs to set the Congress up for success and to deliver the Trump agenda for the American people,” he wrote on the social media platform X. “Speaker Johnson has not made that clear yet, so there are many members beyond the three who voted for someone else who have reservations.”

Heading into the first and only Speakership vote, Roy was considered a holdout of Johnson’s, though he ultimately voted for the Louisiana Republican.

Some conservatives had expressed prior to the vote that Johnson could shore up his support among conservatives by naming Roy as chair to the House Rules Committee, though Johnson said he would not be negotiating with members.

In the end, only three Republicans voted for another candidate aside from Johnson, with Reps. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) and Keith Self (R-Texas) later reversing course. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) voted for Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.).

Mike Johnson is entering the House chamber as the “Speaker-elect” after winning the gavel on a whirlwind first ballot.

He’s shaking hands with lawmakers as he makes his way down the center aisle of the House floor.

Here’s what happens next in the lower chamber of Congress:

• Speaker-elect Mike Johnson will be escorted in by a ceremonial escort committee
• Remarks by Speaker-elect Mike Johnson
• Swearing in of Speaker Mike Johnson by the dean of the House
• Oath of office for members administered by Speaker (all as group)
• Adoption of rules of the House for the new Congress

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) was reelected to the top post in the House in a stunning floor vote on the opening day of the 119th Congress on Friday, securing the gavel on the first ballot.

It is a major victory for Johnson, despite about a dozen hard-line conservatives withholding support for him until the vote on the House floor. 

READ MORE HERE.

James Braid, the incoming White House director of legislative affairs, was spotted just off House floor.

President-elect Trump has backed Johnson for Speaker.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) just left the House chamber with Reps. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) and Keith Self (R-Texas), two of the three Republicans who voted against him on the first ballot.

Norman voted for House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), while Self voted for Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.).

The third Republican to vote against Johnson, Rep. Thomas Massie (Ky.), has been his most outspoken opponent and is widely seen as immovable, but Johnson is likely hoping to sway the other two.

The Louisiana Republican can only afford to lose one GOP vote and keep the gavel.

The House is expected to move to a second ballot for the Speakership race shortly, according to House Majority Whip Tom Emmer’s (R-Minn.) office.

Lawmakers are still waiting for the clerk to read the official results from the first ballot, but it appears Johnson fell short of the gavel after three Republicans voted for someone other than him.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) seemingly leaned into the chaos as Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is fighting to keep the gavel in the 119th Congress.

“The GOP Civil War is in full swing,” he wrote on the social platform X. “And it’s only Day 1.”

The mocking comes after Jeffries warned Johnson late last month that Democrats would not come to his aid on the House floor.

With 434 House spots filled — the only vacancy is former GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz’s Florida seat — Johnson needs 218 votes to clear the majority threshold and win the Speakership, assuming every member is present and voting for a candidate.

As it stands, the vote is Johnson 216, Jeffries 215 and three votes for others.

Clyde and Gosar ultimately vote for Johnson on the third call of their names.

Clyde and Gosar have withheld their votes after the roll call.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) just left his seat in the middle of the chamber and appears to have entered a side room off the floor.

Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.), who is in line for a role in the Trump administration, was the latest Republican to not cast a vote in the roll call.

Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) cast her vote for Johnson.

She had threatened to withhold her support but told reporters shortly before the vote that she would back the Speaker.

Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas) cast his Speaker vote for Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), the third GOP vote against the current Speaker.

Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) was the sixth GOP member to withhold a vote in the roll call.

His bid to be chair of the House Rules Committee is emerging as a key issue for those withholding support for Johnson ahead of Friday’s Speaker election.

Despite winning over a number of holdouts, Johnson is on track to lose the first Speaker ballot.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) voted for Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), and Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) voted for Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio). Johnson cannot afford more than one Republican defection, assuming all members are present and voting.

Voting is ongoing.

Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) became the second GOP vote against Johnson, casting his vote for Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio).

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who had said he would not vote for Johnson, cast his ballot in the Speaker vote for Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.)

Republican Reps. Andy Biggs (Ariz.) and Andy Harris (Md.) offer small claps for Johnson after he nominates himself, and the GOP side erupted in a standing ovation.

They both withheld their vote when their names were called. The clerk will read their names again at the end of the roll call.

Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), the newly reelected chair of the House Freedom Caucus, became the fifth Republican to withhold a vote in the first ballot during the roll call.