House Speaker Mike Johnson retains his post after tight vote
LA TimesRepublican Mike Johnson won reelection to the House speakership on a first ballot Friday, pushing past GOP hard-right holdouts and buoyed with support from President-elect Donald Trump. “House Democrats are united behind the most powerful legislative leader in this chamber,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar of Jeffries, recounting the many times their votes bailed out Johnson to ensure passage of important legislation. But Johnson also had warned that without a House speaker there would be a “constitutional crisis” heading into Jan. 6, when Congress by law is required to count the electoral votes for president, two weeks before Trump is set to be inaugurated Jan. 20. “He’s the one that can win right now,” Trump said about Johnson at a New Year’s Eve party that drew other GOP leaders to his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida.