Mike Johnson hardly gets re-elected as US house speaker

(MENAFN) Mike Johnson has been re-elected as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives in a closely contested vote. The election, which took place on Friday, saw Johnson receive 218 votes to 215, with Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie the only GOP member to oppose him. All 215 House Democrats voted for New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries. With Republicans holding a slim 219-215 majority, Johnson could only afford two defections.

Initially, three Republicans, including Reps. Ralph Norman of South Carolina and Keith Self of Texas, opposed Johnson's nomination. However, after a brief recess and discussions with Johnson, both lawmakers changed their votes in his favor.

Johnson, who replaced Rep. Kevin McCarthy as Speaker in October 2023 after McCarthy was ousted by hardline Republicans, has positioned himself as a staunch ally of President-elect Donald Trump. Trump endorsed Johnson on Monday, calling him a hardworking and religious man. While Johnson faced criticism last year from hardline Republicans for supporting large foreign aid packages, including $65 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, he has since expressed opposition to further Ukraine funding and aligned himself with Trump’s stance on ending the conflict quickly.

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