CGTN America
Newly elected Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) is handed the gavel of the Speaker by House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) after Johnson was elected to be the new Speaker of the House at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., October 25, 2023.
On Wednesday, October 25, Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana was elected U.S. House Speaker with unanimous support from all 220 Republican representatives present, surpassing the required 215 votes needed to win.
All 209 Democratic representatives present voted for their party’s House leader, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries.
The process for nominating Johnson was tumultuous, with several other Republicans including Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Rep. Jim Jordan, and Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota, either withdrawing or being dropped as nominees due to lack of support or divisions within the party.
Johnson, who has been in Congress since 2017, was the fourth Republican nominated for the position since Rep. Kevin McCarthy was ousted three weeks prior and had no previous experience in House leadership before his nomination.
Johnson is a close ally of former President Donald Trump and led several 2020 election challenges. Johnson, a constitutional lawyer, has also served in the Louisiana legislature and is recognized for his advocacy of conservative principles.
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