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Speaker-designate Mike Johnson, R-La., was re-elected to lead the House of Representatives on Friday.
The Louisiana Republican won along party lines in the first round of voting, a stark contrast to his predecessor’s sprawling 15-round battle in 2023.
It comes despite backlash from some conservatives who threatened to withhold support from Johnson in protest over his handling of government funding and other issues in the 118th Congress.
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Speaker Mike Johnson won re-election to lead the House of Representatives. (Getty/AP)
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who was part of an unsuccessful push to oust Johnson last year, was the speaker-designate’s most vocal critic before Friday’s vote.
He said to the above Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.on his new One America News Network show, “You can pull out all my nails, you can stick bamboo in them, you can start cutting off my fingers.”
“I’m not going to vote for Mike Johnson tomorrow, and you can take that to the bank,” Massie said.
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Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., is seen outside the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Other detractors included members of the House Freedom Caucus such as Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, who has expressed interest by chairing the influential House Rules Committee, the panel that directs the terms for House-wide votes on legislation.
Johnson’s allies warned in return that a protracted battle for House speaker could delay a joint session of Congress to certify President-elect Donald Trump’s victory, scheduled for Jan. 6.
President-elect Donald Trump again endorsed Johnson as speaker. (Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)
Johnson also had a key supporter in Trump, who emphasized his support for the GOP leader hours before the noon vote.
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“Good luck today to Speaker Mike Johnson, a great man of great ability, who is very close to having 100% support. A win for Mike today will be a great win for the Republican Party, and another recognition of the our 129 more years. consecutive presidential elections!!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social app.
Johnson wrote to X in response: “Thank you, President Trump! Today is a new day in America. Republicans in Congress must stand together to quickly deliver President Trump’s America First agenda. Let’s do it.”
His victory marks the beginning of his first term as speaker. Johnson won the gavel in October 2023 after three weeks of closed-door talks following the ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.
