Mike Johnson Re-elected as House Speaker in First Round

washington - Republican Mike Johnson has been re-elected as the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives in a surprising turn of events.

Mike Johnson has been re-elected as the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives in the first round of voting. Initially falling short of enough votes, Johnson managed to secure a majority after two party members changed their votes in his favor. Three Republicans initially voted for someone else, while six abstained. However, those six later cast their votes for Johnson when given another chance, bringing him closer but still not enough. It was only after an hour that two of the rebellious Republicans decided to switch their votes, giving Johnson the 218 votes needed for a majority.

Speculations arise whether there were any behind-the-scenes deals or promises made to secure the support for Johnson. President-elect Donald Trump had expressed his support for Johnson prior to the election.

On the Democratic side, Hakeem Jeffries received 215 votes from all Democrats in the House.

Trump promptly congratulated Johnson on his victory, stating, "Mike will be a great speaker, and our country will benefit from it. The American people have been waiting for four years for common sense, strength, and leadership. They will now get it, and America will be greater than ever before!"

Aged 52, Johnson has been serving as House Speaker since October 2023, aiming to bring an end to a tumultuous period in the House of Representatives. He succeeded Republican Kevin McCarthy, who required more than one round of voting for the first time in over a century. In January 2023, it took fifteen rounds before McCarthy secured a majority. Unfortunately, ten months later, McCarthy became the first House Speaker in American history to be impeached.