Mike Johnson secures votes to become speaker of 119th Congress: 'Purge the policies of America Last'
'We will defend our borders; that is the No. 1 priority'
Republican Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana has been reelected speaker of the United States House of Representatives, receiving enough votes to clench the position on the first ballot.
During the opening session of the 119th Congress on Friday afternoon, Johnson received 218 votes, the minimum number needed to secure the leadership position. Democratic Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York received 215 votes.
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who had previously stated that he wouldn't vote for Johnson, voted for Republican Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Reps. Ralph Norman, R-S.D., and Keith Self, R-Texas, who had initially voted for individuals other than Johnson or Jeffries, changed their votes at the last minute to support Johnson.
“It is the great honor of my life,” Johnson told the House after being voted in as speaker. “This is a momentous time in the history of our history.”
Johnson said that members of Congress are "stewards" of the freedom won during the American Revolution and described the U.S. as "the world's leader in liberty, the economy and culture."
"A strong America is good for the entire world," said Johnson. "The core principles that made America what we are must still be preserved today."
Johnson said he believes that last year's elections, in which Republicans took back the White House and Senate, showed that "the people want an 'America first' agenda."
The speaker promised to work to secure the southern border as the "number one priority" and to "purge" the federal policies that he said placed "America last."
Jeffries also gave remarks, in which he quoted from Ecclesiastes 3, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens."
"In a democracy, there is a time to campaign and a time to govern," he said. "The election is over. This is a new Congress. The American people need us as their elected representatives in this season to put down our partisan swords and pick up bipartisan plowshares."
Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., announced the nomination of Johnson, saying in a speech on the floor of the House that Johnson would help “put America first again.”
“No speaker is perfect, and no one will ever be,” McClain added. “The fundamental collective goal of this body is to make progress for the American people in which we represent and we have done just that under Mike’s leadership.”
“Mike has remained the same kind and caring person as he was before he assumed this role. He’s an honest broker; he shows you his true beliefs at face value. He is steadfast in his values of faith, family and love of this country. He knows our brightest days are still ahead of us.”
Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., nominated Jeffries, calling him someone committed to bipartisanship and governing well in spite of any “chaos” that might come.
“Because of Hakeem’s leadership, we will never abandon our values or sacrifice our bedrock principles of freedom and democracy,” said Aguilar. “There is only one true candidate today for speaker.”
Earlier this week, President-elect Donald Trump expressed his support for Johnson, saying in a statement posted on Truth Social that he considers Johnson a "good, hard-working, religious man" who will "do the right thing."
Despite Trump's endorsement, not all Republican House members were on board for Johnson, with Massie expressing his opposition in advance of the speaker vote.
"I respect and support President Trump, but his endorsement of Mike Johnson is going to work out about as well as his endorsement of Speaker Paul Ryan. We've seen Johnson partner with the Democrats to send money to Ukraine, authorize spying on Americans, and blow the budget," Massie stated in a post on X.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who had previously tried and failed to remove Johnson as speaker last year, declared her support for him being elected speaker of the 119th Congress.
"Let's put aside our pride, let's put aside our egos, and let's put aside the infighting," she stated in a video on X, adding that she believed it was time for the GOP to "do whatever it takes to make sure that we deliver the mandate that the American people told us to do."
In January 2023, it took 15 ballots for Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California to become speaker, marking the first time since 1923 that a speakership election took more than one ballot to finish.
About nine months later, however, McCarthy was ousted from his position by a vote of 216-210 that was instigated by then-Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., a critic of the House speaker.
In late October 2023, Johnson was elected House speaker in a vote of 220-209 in which all Republicans present supported Johnson while all Democrats present supported Jeffries.
During his acceptance speech last year, Johnson said he didn't "believe there are any coincidences in a matter like this” and that "the Bible is very clear that God is the One that raises up those in authority."
"He raised up each of you, all of us," Johnson said to his Republican and Democrat colleagues last October. "I believe that God has ordained and allowed each one of us to be brought here for this specific moment and this time."
