Johnson is 2 votes short of being elected House Speaker in 1st round
Another vote scheduled to come soon. Johnson has said he's not in the business of "making deals" or being involved in "quid pro quo" for votes
House Speaker Mike Johnson missed being re-elected to the leadership post, third in line to the presidency, by only two votes early Friday, with another vote pending soon.
Johnson, who was handed the gavel two years ago when Speaker Kevin McCarthy was removed by his own party, had to endure multiple votes then, too.
He was named, then, the 56th speaker, after three weeks of turmoil in the House.
At that time, he won with all 220 Republican votes, while 209 Democrats voted for Hakeem Jeffries of New York.
Friday, the first vote was 216 for Johnson and 215 for Jeffries.
The stakes now, at the beginning of the 2025 Congress, are higher than they were the last round, however, because the House is scheduled to adopt the Electoral College presidential victory for President-elect Donald Trump on Monday.
The needed number of votes is 218, a majority of the 435-member House.
Johnson has a 219-215 majority this time around.
When McCarthy was elected Speaker in 2022 results, it took 15 rounds of voting.
Johnson has said he’s not in the business of “making deals” or being involved in “quid pro quo” for votes.
“I don’t do anything in exchange for a vote other than commit to make this institution work as effectively and efficiently as possible,” he said.
Trump offered his endorsement, and added just before the voting began, “Good luck today for Speaker Mike Johnson, a fine man of great ability, who is very close to having 100% support.
“A win for Mike today will be a big win for the Republican Party, and yet another acknowledgment of our 129 year most consequential Presidential Election!! – A BIG AFFIRMATION, INDEED. MAGA!”
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