Rep. Mike Johnson voted new House speaker

In his first address to the House after winning the speaker's gavel, newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson thanked Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries and former speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Johnson told Jeffries that he looks forward to working with him.

"I know we see things from different points of view, but I know in your heart you want to do what's right — so we'll find common ground there," Johnson said.

On McCarthy, Johnson said, "Kevin has dedicated over two decades of his life to selfless public service, 16 of those years in this House." 

He also thanked the "overworked" and "beleaguered" staff of the House.

Rep. Mike Johnson is delivering remarks now in the House chamber after being elected speaker.

There were 220 votes for Johnson and 209 votes for Democrat Hakeem Jeffries. There was unanimous GOP support behind Johnson. One Republican – Rep. Derrick Van Orden – was absent from the vote.

A new sign bearing speaker-elect Mike Johnson's name is now up outside the speaker's office.

President Joe Biden told reporters “no” he’s not concerned that Speaker-elect Mike Johnson of Louisiana would overturn the presidential election results in 2024 if Biden wins reelection. 

In 2020, Johnson sent an email from a personal email account in 2020 to every House Republican soliciting signatures for an amicus brief in the longshot Texas lawsuit seeking to invalidate electoral college votes from multiple states.

After the election was called in favor of Biden on November 7, 2020, Johnson posted on X, then known as Twitter, “I have just called President Trump to say this: ‘Stay strong and keep fighting, sir! The nation is depending upon your resolve. We must exhaust every available legal remedy to restore Americans’ trust in the fairness of our election system.’”

Pressed Wednesday on why he wasn’t worried Johnson might attempt to overturn a free and fair election, as he did in 2020, Biden said, “Because he can't — look, just like I was not worried that the last guy would be able to overturn the election.” 

“They had about 60 lawsuits, and it went all the way to the Supreme Court — every time they lost,” the president added. “I understand the Constitution.”

Earlier in the news conference where Biden was speaking with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, a reporter informed the two leaders of the news Johnson had secured the votes to become speaker.

Biden responded, “I hope that's true because we have to get moving, we have to get moving.”

Former President Donald Trump congratulated new House Speaker Mike Johnson, taking credit for helping him win.

“I just want to congratulate Mike Johnson. He will be a great Speaker of the House and we were very happy to help,” Trump said outside the courtroom for his civil fraud trial moments after his win.

The Republican lawmaker from Louisiana was elected Wednesday afternoon, three weeks after Kevin McCarthy’s ouster.

“At this time yesterday, no one was thinking of Mike — and then we put out the word and now he’s the speaker of the House,” Trump said.

Trump called him a “tremendous man” and said he’s “going to make us all proud.”

Trump previously backed Rep. Jim Jordan for speaker but Jordan failed to reach the necessary number of votes.  

Rep. Mike Johnson has been elected House speaker, setting off procedures to swear the Louisiana Republican in. Here's what happens next:

Some lawmakers are pushing to pass a bipartisan resolution Wednesday condemning Hamas and expressing support for Israel, sources say.

The sponsors of the bill were told it would be the first vote brought to the floor after a new House speaker is elected, the sources told CNN. They said it could get a vote later today.

Rep. Mike Johnson was elected speaker of the House Wednesday afternoon, securing 220 votes.

A vote on the Israel resolution is not set in stone on the schedule yet, but there’s a strong desire among Republicans to show a functioning House after being paralyzed for weeks following the ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy. 

If it does come to the floor on Wednesday, it would have to come up under suspension — an expedited process that requires a two-thirds majority for passage. 

Rep. Mike Johnson, who was elected as the new House speaker moments ago, has been a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump and was a key congressional figure in the failed efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

The Louisiana Republican was first elected to the House in 2016 and serves as vice chairman of the House Republican Conference, as well as GOP deputy whip, an assistant leadership role. An attorney with a focus on constitutional law, Johnson joined a group of House Republicans in voting to sustain the objection to electoral votes on January 6, 2021. During Trump’s first impeachment trial in January 2020, Johnson, along with a group of other GOP lawmakers, served a largely ceremonial role in Trump’s Senate impeachment team.

Johnson also sent an email from a personal email account in 2020 to every House Republican soliciting signatures for an amicus brief in the longshot Texas lawsuit seeking to invalidate electoral college votes from multiple states.

After the election was called in favor of Joe Biden on November 7, 2020, Johnson posted on X, then known as Twitter, “I have just called President Trump to say this: ‘Stay strong and keep fighting, sir! The nation is depending upon your resolve. We must exhaust every available legal remedy to restore Americans’ trust in the fairness of our election system.’”

Although Trump said he won’t endorse anyone in the speaker’s race Wednesday, he leant support to Johnson in a post on Truth Social.

“In 2024, we will have an even bigger, & more important, WIN! My strong SUGGESTION is to go with the leading candidate, Mike Johnson, & GET IT DONE, FAST!” Trump posted.

Johnson serves on the Judiciary Committee and the Armed Services Committee. He is also a former chair of the Republican Study Committee.

After receiving a degree in business administration from Louisiana State University and a Juris Doctorate from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Johnson took on roles as a college professor and conservative talk radio host. He began his political career in the Louisiana legislature, where he served from 2015 to 2017, before being elected to Congress in Louisiana’s Fourth District.

Read more about Johnson's career.

House Republicans have elected Rep. Mike Johnson as the new speaker – a major moment that comes three weeks after Kevin McCarthy’s historic ouster.

There were 220 votes for Johnson and 209 votes for Democrat Hakeem Jeffries. There was unanimous GOP support behind Johnson. One Republican – Van Orden – was absent from the vote.

Johnson has been a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump and was a key congressional figure in the failed efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Johnson was first elected to the House in 2016 and serves as vice chairman of the House Republican Conference, as well as GOP deputy whip, an assistant leadership role.

An attorney with a focus on constitutional law, Johnson joined a group of House Republicans in voting to sustain the objection to electoral votes on January 6, 2021. During Trump’s first impeachment trial in January 2020, Johnson, along with a group of other GOP lawmakers, served a largely ceremonial role in Trump’s Senate impeachment team.

Read more about Johnson.