Speakership: Republicans Pick Mike Johnson
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Speakership: Republicans Pick Mike Johnson
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
In a new development within the Republicans, Congressman Mike Johnson has been chosen as their latest nominee for the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
This marks the fourth nominee in a series of selections, following the withdrawal of three previous candidates who failed to garner sufficient support from their colleagues. He is also the second nominee to emerge on the same day.
The decision to nominate Mr. Johnson was reached after a series of three voting rounds held late on Tuesday.
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Recall that House of Representatives has been without a Speaker, leading to an inability to pass bills since the ousting of Kevin McCarthy on October 3rd.
The selection of Congressman Mike Johnson, hailing from Louisiana and aged 51, was officially announced by House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik.
The House Republicans maintain a slim majority over their Democratic counterparts in the lower chamber of Congress, and Mr. Johnson’s nomination hinges on the ability to secure a majority vote.
The prior nominee, Majority Whip Tom Emmer, withdrew from the race after failing to garner adequate support, creating uncertainty surrounding Mr. Johnson’s ability to secure the necessary 217 votes for a simple majority in the House.
Earlier on Tuesday, Mr. Johnson had been in second place in voting, with Mr. Emmer leading.
However, Mr. Emmer withdrew his candidacy following public opposition from former President Donald Trump. In the final round of voting, Mr. Johnson secured 128 votes, while Congressman Byron Donald came in second with 29.
It is expected that Mr. Johnson’s nomination will face a full vote in the House, possibly as soon as Wednesday afternoon. If unsuccessful, the Republicans will need to revisit their selection process.
