Republicans re-elect Mike Johnson as US House speaker in nail-biting vote
Al JazeeraThe US has opened the 119th Congress with a vote for the speakership in its lower chamber, the House of Representatives. The United States House of Representatives has re-elected Republican Mike Johnson as its speaker, in a vote seen as a nail-biting test of party unity ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s second term in the White House. Friday’s vote for Johnson also put Trump’s ability to muster Republican votes under the microscope. “Good luck today for Speaker Mike Johnson, a fine man of great ability, who is very close to having 100% support,” Trump wrote on social media. !” While Trump had previously endorsed Johnson, he had also said the “others are very good, too.” Later, on the House floor, Representative Lisa McClain, another leading Republican, gave a speech to nominate Johnson.