After Trump endorsement, GOP backs Mike Johnson for second term as House speaker
WASHINGTON – House Republicans on Wednesday endorsed Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana to return as their leader next year as the GOP prepares to govern alongside President-elect Donald Trump and with complete control of Washington's main power levers.
Johnson's win isn't surprising. He ran unopposed and there were no objections before the unanimous voice vote.
It's also not the final say on the matter. Johnson still must notch a majority of votes from the 435-person chamber during a public floor vote in early January that will keep him in a job that also means he's second in line for the presidency after Vice President-elect JD Vance.
Trump has long been a Johnson supporter, inviting him to speak at 2024 campaign rallies and hosting him at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. Earlier Wednesday, the incoming president restated his opinion backing the speaker's future in front of House Republicans while visiting Capitol Hill.
“President Trump is very clear. He supports Mike Johnson. We're going to vote for Mike Johnson,” Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, said. “If Donald Trump says, jump three feet high and scratch your head, we all jump three feet high and scratch our head.”
Republicans will enter 2025 in the majority even with a slew of House races that have still not been called, so it's unclear how large their margins will be when the 119th Congress gets sworn in on Jan. 3, 2025.
Johnson, 52, was first elected as House speaker in 2023, after lawmakers ousted then-Rep. Kevin McCarthy from the position. Johnson vowed at the time to restore American’s faith in the House, which had been roiled by a internal chaos.
The speaker's biggest challenge going forward likely will come from his right flank and the ultraconservative lawmakers who have at times criticized his willingness to work with Democrats to avoid government shutdowns. Exiting their conference meeting on Wednesday morning, Republican lawmakers expressed mixed support for Johnson. For some, Trump’s endorsement was a critical piece of their vote.
Other Republicans noted concerns with Johnson's record. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., criticized Johnson over his foreign policy views, saying the speaker was “basically a neocon,” which he said was the opposite of Trump.
A constitutional lawyer, Johnson was elected to represent a district in northwest Louisiana in 2016. He’s a devout Southern Baptist who over the last year has built a steadfast relationship with Trump.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump endorses Mike Johnson for House speaker, GOP backs pick