Four days of long negotiations. 15 rounds of voting. In 2023, the election of Kevin McCarthy as head of the US House of Representatives gave the Grand Old Party (GOP), then shaken by strong tensions. Two years later, the same turbulence is expected. This Friday, January 3, the lower house must elect its new speaker. A key position that current President Mike Johnson hopes to retain, despite the defection of certain Republicans.
218 votes needed
For several decades, the election of the Speaker of the House of Representatives was only a formality in the United States. But this year, as in 2023, this vote is not obvious. With the resignation of former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, Republicans hold a total of 219 seats in the lower house. The Democrats, 215. Mike Johnson therefore has no room for error if he wishes to keep his position, given that he must obtain at least 218 votes – if all members of the chamber participate in the vote – to be elected.
The match therefore promises to be close. Especially since some Republicans have already announced their opposition to this re-election. Like his predecessor Kevin McCarthy, dismissed in an unprecedented manner, the elected official from Louisiana is accused of giving in to the Democrats’ demands. “Virtually all of my colleagues know that Mike Johnson is unfit to be speaker, but no one wants to say the obvious,” said Rep. Thomas Massie At Cincinnati Enquirer. A second opponent, Victoria Spartz, elected from Indiana, indicated that her vote would depend on the candidate’s ability to respond to her list of demands. Others, like Andy Harris of Maryland and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, declined to give their position.
In a interview with Fox Businessthe Republican candidate was still confident, believing that his election could be quick. And for good reason, he benefits from unwavering support: that of the future president of the United States. “The American people need immediate relief from all the destructive policies of the last administration. President Mike Johnson is a good, hard-working and religious man,” Donald Trump said on his social network Truth Social on Monday, December 30, adding that Mike Johnson had his “total and complete support.” Renowned for following through with his ideas, the MAGA champion (Make America Great Again) even planned to call several representatives to ensure their vote, according to three anonymous Republicans interviewed by Politico.
SpaceX co-founder Elon Musk is also on board. “I think the same thing. You have my full support,” he responded on his social network X to Mike Johnson who welcomed the support of Donald Trump.
The moment of truth for Donald Trump
For now, uncertainty still looms. In the event that the current President of the House of Representatives is not re-elected, Donald Trump would suffer a second failure in Congress. Before Christmas, the real estate magnate did not benefit from the support of all Republican representatives, witnessing the rejection of his budget text before the lower house. And this, despite his countless attempts at blackmail. A new setback could thus be a harbinger of the difficulties that the elected president of the United States could have in getting his program through Congress in the first months of his mandate. “A repeat of the farce of two years ago would be a debacle for Trump and would show how his ambitions can fall into a legislative trap at any time,” underlines in fact CNN. A scenario that Donald Trump wants to avoid, less than three weeks before his return to the White House.
If Mike Johnson does not reach the majority of votes cast this Friday, the vote will be repeated in the following hours and days. But the clock is ticking for the Republicans: a speaker must be elected before January 6, the date on which the president of the lower house must certify Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election.