220 Votes! – DID NOT LOSE A SINGLE REPUBLICAN VOTE!
A Historic Moment for Louisiana and the GOP as Johnson Emerges Victorious in a Tumultuous Leadership Battle
On Wednesday, Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) was elected as the new House Speaker of the 118th United States Congress after twenty-two days, with fourteen candidates vying, four nominees, and four floor votes.
During the roll call, it was noted that 429 members were present to cast their votes: 220 were Republicans, with one member absent, while 209 were Democrats, with three absentees. Johnson achieved the 220 out of 215 votes needed to claim the sought-after Speaker’s gavel.
Former GOP nominees Jim Jordan, Tom Emmer, Steve Scalise, and former speaker Kevin McCarthy voted for Mike Johnson for House Speaker.
Just hours before the pivotal vote, Johnson took to social media platform X to make a powerful, patriotic statement. Displaying an image of the American flag, with time-honored phrase “IN GOD WE TRUST.”
On Tuesday night, Johnson emerged as the GOP’s last man standing, winning the House speaker nomination from his party after several rounds of voting. Throughout the evening, Johnson held a steady lead in the voting, with Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL) emerging as his closest competitor.
Upon his election as the Republican candidate for Speaker of the House, Congressman Mike Johnson invited his colleagues in the GOP conference to lower their heads and unite with him in a moment of prayer.
“Democracy is messy sometimes, but it is our system. This conference that you see, this House Republican majority, is united,” Rep. Johnson said during a press conference Tuesday night.
“We’re going to serve the people of this country. We’re going to restore their faith in this Congress, this institution of government… We’re going to restore your trust in what we do here. You’re going to see a new form of government and we are going to move this quickly. This group here is ready to govern. We’re going to govern well. We’re going to do what’s right by the people and I believe the people are going to reward that next year. But we have a lot of big priorities ahead of us right now. The world is on fire,” he added.
The road to Johnson’s election was far from smooth. The GOP has been embroiled in a tumultuous battle for the speakership, which saw multiple high-profile candidates bow out of the race.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) was initially nominated but withdrew his candidacy when it became evident that he lacked the votes to secure the position.
Last week, the conference also dropped Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH) as their nominee after his bid for the speakership failed for the third time on the House floor. Representative Tom Emmer (R-MN) also withdrew his candidacy after failing to garner enough votes.
The leadership vacuum was created following the ouster of Kevin McCarthy. His removal paved the way for a new leadership election, but the process was fraught with internal divisions and public scrutiny.
All the 25 RINOs who voted against conservative favorite Jim Jordan on the third vote on the House floor have voted for Johnson.
- Don Bacon (NE-2nd): Patrick McHenry
- Vern Buchanan (FL-16th): Byron Donalds
- Ken Buck (CO-4th): Tom Emmer
- Lori Chavez-Deremer (OR-5th): McHenry
- Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-26th): Scalise
- Anthony D’Esposito- (NY-4th): Lee Zeldin
- Jake Ellzey (TX-6th) Mike Garcia
- Drew Ferguson (GA-3rd): Scalise
- Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1st): McHenry
- Andrew Garbarino (NY 2nd): Lee Zeldin
- Carlos Gimenez (FL-28th): McCarthy
- Tony Gonzales (TX-23rd): Scalise
- Kay Granger (TX-12th): Scalise
- John James (MI-10th): Scalise
- Tom Kean (NJ-7th): McCarthy
- Jen Kiggans (VA-2nd): McHenry
- Nick LaLota (NY-1st): Zeldin
- Mike Kelly (PA-16th): Scalise
- Mike Lawler (NY-17th): McHenry
- Marinette Miller-Meeks (IA-2nd): McHenry
- Marc Molinaro (NY-19th): Zeldin
- John Rutherford (FL-5th): Scalise
- Mike Simpson (ID-2nd): Scalise
- Pete Stauber (MN-8th): Bruce Westerman
- Steve Womack (AR-3rd): Scalise
Johnson, currently serving his fourth term representing Louisiana’s 4th Congressional District, is no stranger to leadership roles within the Republican Party.
Johnson serves as the Vice Chairman of the House Republican Conference and is a key player on the Judiciary and Armed Services Committees. He also holds the position of Deputy Whip for House Republicans. This is his second term as Vice Chairman, and he has previously served as Chairman of the Republican Study Committee, often referred to as the “intellectual arsenal” of Congress and the largest caucus of conservatives on Capitol Hill.
A dedicated husband and father of four, Johnson is deeply rooted in his Christian faith, often leading prayers on Capitol Hill.
Johnson is a constitutional law attorney, having earned his degree from Louisiana State University. He has devoted his career to defending fundamental freedoms and traditional values, both in the courts and in the court of public opinion.
Political Record
Foreign Policy: Johnson has consistently voted against aid to Ukraine, with the exception of the very first aid bill.
Social Issues: He is pro-life and has been a vocal supporter of religious freedom.
Immigration: Johnson supported President Trump’s 2017 executive order that prohibited immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries.
Party Loyalty: He is a policy-driven legislator who votes in line with his GOP colleagues, with a Liberty Score of 74%.
Per NBC: Johnson’s voting record earns him a lifetime rating of 92% from the American Conservative Union and 90% from Heritage Action.
Experience: With seven years in Congress, Johnson is an experienced lawmaker. This is his fourth term.
Trump Ally: Johnson was a member of President Trump’s legal defense team during both impeachment hearings and has been a staunch ally of the former President.
Election Integrity: He voted against certifying Biden’s election and has been actively involved in investigations into Biden crime family.
Constituency: Johnson represents Louisiana’s 4th Congressional District, home to 760,000 residents.
Electoral Success: He won his congressional seat with the largest margin of victory in his region in over 50 years.
