U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson has been elected Speaker of the House, ending weeks of turmoil following the historic ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
The district that Johnson represents stretches from the Louisiana-Arkansas line down to Acadiana; he represents Evangeline and St. Landry parishes.
Johnson took the vote on the first ballot, defeating U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat who also is the House Minority Leader.
He took the gavel for the first time Wednesday afternoon, and presided for a short time before the House went into recess.
Here's the speech he gave:
I am honored to have been elected the 56th Speaker of the House. It is time to come together to deliver for the American people! pic.twitter.com/gQSSIfXgeR
— Rep. Mike Johnson (@RepMikeJohnson) October 25, 2023
Johnson responded to the vote on his social media pages.
"It is the honor of a lifetime to have been elected the 56th Speaker of the House. Thank you to my colleagues, friends, staff, and family for the unmatched support throughout this process. It has been an arduous few weeks, and a reminder that the House is as complicated and diverse as the people we represent. The urgency of this moment demands bold, decisive action to restore trust, advance our legislative priorities, and demonstrate good governance. Our House Republican Conference is united, and eager to work. As Speaker, I will ensure the House delivers results and inspires change for the American people. We will restore trust in this body. We will advance a comprehensive conservative policy agenda, combat the harmful policies of the Biden Administration, and support our allies abroad. And we will restore sanity to a government desperately in need of it. Let’s get back to work," he wrote.
This weekend, we reported that Johnson announced he will seek the position of Speaker of the House.
He announced the decision on social media, posting a letter he sent to his colleagues. If you want to read the letter, scroll down.
"I have been humbled to have so many Members from across our Conference reach out to encourage me to seek the nomination for Speaker. Until yesterday, I had never contacted one person about this, and I have never before aspired to the office. However, after much prayer and deliberation, I am stepping forward now," he wrote.
"Although I feel a great responsibility for our cause and I have a clear vision and plan for how to lead us through these unprecedented challenges, I demurred until now out of admiration and respect for our rules, the process, and the good men involved. Kevin, Steve, Jim and Austin have all been faithful friends and brothers to me, and I believe we should give honor where honor is due. Each of the new candidates deserve the same."
Here's the post:
Johnson, who represents North Louisiana as well as parts of Acadiana, currently is serving his fourth term. He's Vice Chairman of the House Republican Conference, a member of the Judiciary and Armed Services Committees, and is Deputy Whip for House Republicans.
Earlier today, we reported that he was considering the move.
"I can confirm that the Congressman is currently making calls to colleagues regarding a possible run for Speaker," a spokesman for the Congressman's office told KATC Friday evening.
It's been a tumultuous several weeks in the House, since a small group of Republican members joined Democrats to remove U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Ca., from the Speaker's chair, just 10 months after he was elected to the post.
After that, another Louisiana Congressman, U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, ran unsuccessfully for the post. Just yesterday, U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan was dropped as the nominee after three votes in which he failed to win the seat.
There is no clear candidate, the AP reported Friday:
Their majority control floundering, Republicans left the private session blaming one another for the divisions they have created. Next steps were highly uncertain, as a wide range of Republican lawmakers started pitching themselves for speaker. But it appears no one at present can win a GOP majority, leaving the House without a speaker and unable to function for the foreseeable future.
Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin issued the following statement regarding the election of Representative Mike Johnson as Speaker of the House:
I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Representative Johnson on his election as the 56th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. Our state and nation will be well served by his leadership in this important role. I am especially pleased that the two highest positions in the House of Representatives are now held by Louisianians. Today is a great day for the State of Louisiana.
Here's Johnson's letter:
