GOP Nominates Mike Johnson for House Speaker

Facts

• House Republicans selected Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) as their fourth speaker nominee in a closed-door contest on Tuesday.¹
• Johnson reportedly defeated Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) on the third ballot in a 128-29 vote, with 44 Republicans casting ballots for 'other.'²
• Former lawyer Johnson, first elected to Congress in 2016, serves on the House Judiciary and Armed Services Committees.³
• Johnson's selection comes after the House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) dropped out of the speaker's race hours after receiving the nomination amid resistance from several conservatives.⁴
• The House GOP had previously nominated Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Jim Jordan (R-Ohio). While the first withdrew from the contest, the latter failed on a third ballot for the House speaker's gavel.⁵
• Until a new speaker is selected to fill the position that has been vacant since Kevin McCarthy's (R-Calif.) removal three weeks ago, Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC.) will serve as speaker pro tempore — an interim role that has limited powers to advance bills to the floor.⁶

Sources: ¹Politico, ²New York Post, ³FOX News, ⁴Daily Caller, ⁵The Hill and ⁶NBC.

Narratives

• Democratic narrative, as provided by Washington Examiner. It's about time House Republicans set aside differences over policy and process, as well as political calculations and personal interests, to act together and finally elect their party's Speaker nominee. Doing so is a partisan and patriotic duty — stopping the House of Representatives functioning and causing the US government to shut down is unacceptable.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by American Spectator. Though the political establishment and its media allies have expressed concerns over the weeks-long vacancy of the House speakership, the GOP is seeking to fill the role. Regardless, US taxpayers can only celebrate when no one is holding the gavel. Current so-called Washington 'dysfunction' means that Congress is restricted from adding further to obligations and deficits, and that the Democrats cannot push through lousy legislation.

Predictions