Mike Johnson elected as U.S. House speaker
He represents Louisiana’s 4th Congressional District
SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) - Louisiana Congressman Mike Johnson has won enough votes to be elected speaker for the U.S. House of Representatives.
On Oct. 25 around 12:49 p.m., Johnson was elected the speaker of the House after gaining the required 217 votes needed to take the seat.
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Johnson became the fourth Republican nominee hours after Rep. Tom Emmer withdrew from the running. He was elected speaker designee on Tuesday, Oct. 24 with 128 votes.
SEE RAW VIDEO OF THE VOTE AND JOHNSON’S SPEECH:
The Associated Press reports that Johnson later won the majority during private balloting, however, he would need almost all Republican votes to win the gavel Wednesday.
The cycle of voting since Kevin McCarthy was ousted has continued for three weeks, with conservatives internally divided.
After publicly supporting Jim Jordon’s attempts for the position, Johnson first announced his bid Saturday, Oct. 21.
Johnson said his key priorities are to:
- Restore trust
- Advance a comprehensive policy agenda
- Promote individual members
Louisiana is not the first state to have both the House speaker and majority leader. Texas had Sam Rayburn and Lyndon B. Johnson in 1959. And Massachusetts had Frederick Gillett and Henry C. Lodge in the early 1920s.
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