POLITICS
House To Hold Another Speaker Vote Wednesday After GOP Nominates Rep. Mike Johnson
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House Republicans on Tuesday night nominated Rep. Mike Johnson as their latest nominee for speaker, hours after Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota dropped out of the race, unable to secure the 217 GOP votes needed to win the gavel.
Emmer was nominated earlier Tuesday after multiple rounds of secret-ballot voting, but was unable to reach the 217 Republican votes required to win in the full House, due to the party’s slim majority.
Johnson told reporters Tuesday night that in a roll call vote meant to gauge his support among Republicans, there were no votes against him, though some members were absent. He said he intends to call a floor vote on Wednesday.
The House has been without a speaker since the historic ouster of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) earlier this month.
Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the chair of the House Judiciary Committee and one of the leaders of the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, withdrew from consideration after failing to secure a majority in the full House after three rounds of voting last week. Before that, Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana withdrew after failing to secure a majority.
Nine new candidates emerged and took questions in a candidates forum on Monday, including Emmer, Rep. Jack Bergman of Michigan; Rep. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma; Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida; Rep. Austin Scott of Georgia; Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas; Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana; Rep. Gary Palmer of Alabama; and Rep. Dan Meuser of Pennsylvania. Emmer consistently won a majority of votes from fellow Republicans, but still fell short.
Without an elected speaker, the House cannot pass any legislation, including international aid, as war in Israel continues into its third week. Biden on Friday asked Congress for an unprecedented aid package including more than $14 billion in military aid for Israel and more than $61 billion for Ukraine.
McCarthy was ousted after struggling to unite House Republicans on a budget deal to avert a government shutdown. The more conservative flank led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) pushed for deep domestic spending cuts and objected to sending more aid to Ukraine, which continues to fight off a Russian invasion that began last year.
Gaetz filed a motion to vacate the chair, forcing a historic vote on whether to keep McCarthy, which he lost 216–210. He was the first House speaker in U.S. history to be removed by a floor vote.
The continuing resolution that was passed to keep the government open temporarily will expire on Nov. 17, threatening a shutdown if a budget deal is not passed in time.
Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina remains interim speaker, with limited powers, until a speaker is elected.
TMX contributed to this article.
