House GOP Sticks With Mike Johnson For Speaker, Picks Successor To Elise Stefanik In Leadership Role

On Wednesday, Republicans picked House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) as their nominee in the race for the speakership in the next session of Congress beginning next year.

Johnson received unanimous support in a voice vote, according to reports, locking him in for the full House vote that will likely take place in early January.

Hours earlier, President-elect Donald Trump had met with House Republicans on Capitol Hill and told them that he was with Johnson “all the way,” according to multiple reports.

The conservative Freedom Caucus, which reportedly had wanted a challenger to Johnson or at least a secret ballot, did not end up putting up a fight against a voice vote, per Punchbowl News’ Melanie Zanona.

POLITICO’s Olivia Beavers reported she heard a deal was brokered that would preclude amendments to “punish members” in exchange for raising the threshold for the motion to vacate to nine members.

The Republican-led House first elected Johnson to be the speaker in October 2023 after then-Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was cast out of the role by his peers.

Johnson grappled with a Democrat-led Senate and President Joe Biden, but the GOP will control the upper chamber and White House in the next session after 2024 election victories.

In his letter to fellow GOP lawmakers seeking their report, Johnson listed a number of policy priorities in line with Trump’s “Make America Great Again” agenda.

“The mandate that has been delivered shows that a majority of Americans are eager for secure borders, lower costs, peace through strength, and a return to common sense,” he said.

“With unified Republican government, if we meet this historic moment together, the next two years can result in the most consequential Congress of the modern era,” Johnson added.

Other House GOP leadership elections took place on Wednesday, too. Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) and Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) each secured another term in their respective role.

Rep. Gary Palmer (R-AL) lost his bid for re-election as Republican Policy Committee chairman to Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK) while Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT) won another stint as House GOP Conference vice chair.

With Trump selecting House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY) as his nominee for U.N. ambassador, Republicans voted on who would be her successor in the leadership position.

Reps. Lisa McClain (R-MI) and Kat Cammack (R-FL), both of whom just won a third term in Congress, competed to replace Stefanik. McClain won out in the end, reportedly through a 146-67 vote.

“I am honored to be chosen by my colleagues,” McClain said on X, adding later: “I am excited to lead our unified team alongside President Trump and [Speaker Johnson] to pass the America First agenda.”

I am honored to be chosen by my colleagues to serve as the Republican Conference Chairwoman and I thank my constituents in MI-09 for their continued support. I am excited to lead our unified team alongside President Trump and @SpeakerJohnson to pass the America First agenda. pic.twitter.com/p6unxBkwGS

— Representative Lisa McClain (@RepLisaMcClain) November 13, 2024

The GOP Conference chair position, the holder of which “heads organization of all Republican Party members in the House,” has been held by Stefanik since she took over from then-Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) in 2021.

McClain, the sitting House GOP Conference secretary, has a 70% in the Heritage Action Scorecard. She was touted by Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY) for supporting Trump “early and helped to turn a ‘blue’ state red.”

House Democrats are slated to hold their leadership elections next week. In the upper chamber, Republicans picked Sen. John Thune (R-SD) to succeed Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) as leader of their conference.