Mike Johnson's first term as speaker came to an end on Friday, and for him to retain his job, he needed Republicans to nearly unanimously get behind him.
After a lengthy vote and behind-the-scenes negotiations, Johnson retained his role as speaker.
With all 435 members of the House showing up for the first day of the new congressional term, it took 218 votes for Johnson to become speaker. It turns out, that is exactly the number of votes he got.
Taking the gavel at the start of the 119th Congress, Johnson acknowledged the January 1 terrorist attack in New Orleans and called for a moment of silence.
"We have a mandate that was shown in the election cycle. The people want an America-first agenda," Johnson said. "In recent months, we've witnessed something happening, something that's really remarkable. A political moment in our modern history. A groundswell of Americans from every state, race and religion who now demand that we put the interest of Americans first again. And we will."
In his first address to the chamber, Johnson outlined plans to secure the border, fight high inflation, extend Trump-era tax cuts and focus on domestic fossil energy extraction. He called for a reduction in the size and scope of the "administrative state" and the creation of a more efficient federal workforce.
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Since all 215 Democrats voted in support of Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Johnson could have only afforded to lose one GOP vote for the speakership. At least one Republican was expected to vote for someone else for speaker. But as voting took place, three Republicans voted for representatives other than Johnson.
Reps. Thomas Massie, Keith Self and Ralph Norman were the three Republicans who did not vote for Johnson. But after lengthy behind-the-scenes deal-making, Self and Norman switched their votes to Johnson.
Johnson entered Friday with the endorsement of President-elect Donald Trump.
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Massie, R-Kentucky, told the Cincinnati Enquirer on Thursday that he would vote for another Republican instead of Johnson. He ended up being the only member of the House not to vote for Johnson or Jeffries.
"I've decided that life is too short to play along with fake fights and to play along and take votes that people know are wrong," Massie told The Enquirer. "Almost all of my colleagues know that Mike Johnson is not equipped to be speaker, but nobody wants to say the emperor has no clothes."
Massie also noted he would not vote "present." If two members of the House were to vote present, that would have lowered the threshold needed to become speaker to 217.
The battle to become House Speaker is reminiscent of how the last congressional term began in 2023. With Republicans narrowly taking the House following the 2022 election, Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy seemed poised to become speaker.
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After six days without a speaker in January 2023, McCarthy made numerous concessions to a handful of Republicans standing in his way. On the 15th ballot, six Republicans voted present, with 216 voting in favor of McCarthy, allowing him to become speaker.
But his tenure as speaker was short-lived. After McCarthy worked with Democrats and moderate Republicans on a bill to keep the government open in September 2023, eight Republicans joined the Democratic caucus in voting McCarthy out of the speakership.
At first, Johnson did not appear on the ballot to become speaker in October 2023. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio was initially the Republicans' top choice for the job.
On the fourth ballot, Johnson won over enough votes to become speaker.
Even though the drama on Friday was not as drawn out as the two speaker votes in 2023, Democrats attempted to capitalize on the situation.
"Here we go again. Rather than getting down to the business of lowering costs, securing the border, and protecting individual freedoms, Republicans are starting off the 119th Congress the same way they began - and ended - the 118th: beset by chaos, DC-party infighting, and dysfunction," said Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee communications director Courtney Rice.
Without a speaker, the House would have been unable to conduct business, such as considering legislation or holding committee hearings.
Now that a speaker is elected, the House will vote on a rules package and begin assigning members to committees.
