The whirlwind in Washington, D.C. surrounding leadership on Capitol Hill has come to an end with Congressman Mike Johnson of Louisiana being elected House speaker with 220 votes.
Following the ousting of Rep. Kevin McCarthy from the position, Republicans floated three possible options for the gavel before settling on a candidate able to reach the necessary threshold of votes to obtain speakership.
Johnson, who serves as House Republican conference vice chair, threw his hat in the ring after fellow Pelican State congressman Steve Scalise, Ohio representative Jim Jordan, and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer were unsuccessful in their attempts to replace McCarthy.
Scalise, the initial GOP nominee for speakership, removed himself from contention due to an inability to secure enough Republican support to ensure he would be elected in a floor vote. Emmer followed in Scalise’s footsteps.
Jordan, on the other hand, took three failed floor votes before the conservative firebrand’s colleagues removed him from further contention last Friday.
Democratic nominee Hakeem Jeffries of New York received overwhelming support from members of his party and even earned more votes than Jordan. However, he did not earn enough Republican support to reach the 217 mark needed to attain speakership.
Mississippi’s three GOP representatives Mike Ezell, Michael Guest, and Trent Kelly voted in favor of Johnson as the Louisiana representative received unanimous Republican support during Wednesday’s floor vote. The Magnolia State’s lone Democratic congressman, Bennie Thompson, voted against Johnson.
With Johnson in place, the House will once again be able to vote on major legislation such as spending bills ahead of a possible mid-November shutdown and further financial aid to Israel amid its war with Hamas.
Here’s what Mississippi’s congressional delegation had to say following the vote to name Johnson House Speaker:
Mike Ezell
“Today, the House elected my friend from Louisiana, Congressman Mike Johnson, to serve as the 56th Speaker of the House of Representatives. Speaker Johnson and I have a lot in common, including our shared faith and our strong conservative values, and I was proud to support him. I’m glad our Conference was able to unify and elect a conservative Speaker. I’m ready to get back to work cutting wasteful spending, securing our southern border, and standing with our allies in Israel.”
Michael Guest
“Speaker Johnson is a humble, godly man who loves this great nation and who shares our conservative values. Mike will provide leadership to the House as pass conservative legislation, rein in out-of-control spending, secure our southern border, and provide critical support for the state of Israel. Republicans must work diligently to support our speaker as he leads the fight to protect our morals and values. I’m proud to have voted for Speaker Mike Johnson.”
Trent Kelly
“Speaker Mike Johnson is a strong leader who has a proven track record as a conservative who will fight for the American people. Mike is a great man who is honest, hardworking, and principled. I look forward to getting to work with Mike to get this country back on track”
Bennie Thompson
Congressman Bennie Thompson has not yet released an official statement.
