The Republican Mike Johnson This Friday he managed to prevail against the Democrats and was re-elected president of the House of Representativesin a victory that is also understood as a victory for Donald Trump.
“Congratulations to leader Mike Johnson for receiving an unprecedented vote of confidence in Congress. Mike will be a great speaker and our country will be the beneficiary. The American People have waited four years for common sense, strength and leadership, and now they will have it. “The United States will be better than ever!” Trump celebrated when the news became known.
This Friday, the legislators of the lower house met to elect their next leader, the 119th, as established by the Constitution, given that one of their first tasks is ratify the businessman’s victorywho returns to the White House in just over two weeks.
Although the Republicans have the majority, with 220 seats compared to the Democrats’ 215, the decline in Matt Gaetz from his seat he left the party with only 219 places and a narrow margin, which made it essential that all the reds vote for their candidate, with the exception of just one, to ratify their leadership.
The first vote passed without success for both Johnson and his rival Hakeem Jeffriessince the blues did not get the necessary support for their candidate and, on the red side, there were those who opposed supporting their chosen one. Thus, the count ended with 216 votes for Johnson, 215 to Jeffries y 3 for others members.
A series of internal negotiations achieved that Ralph Norman y Keith Self They will change their positions and support the candidate.
About 45 minutes later, a second round of voting finally began and concluded with a total of 218 supports for Johnson and, with them, their victory, compared to the Democrats’ 215.
In this way, the 52-year-old Republican became one of Washington’s top legislators and in a crucial figure for the incoming Trump Administrationsince it is positioned as the second in line of presidential successionafter the vice president, J.D. Vance.
In his first speech, Johnson promised accompany the motto of “Make America Great Again” of Trump, as well as the massive reduction of the reach of the federal government, to return power “to the people”especially in this “transcendental moment in the history of our nation.”
He also announced that he will work to support the deportations of “dangerous and criminal illegal aliens” and the completion of the construction of the border wall with Mexico.
“The people have asked us to reject the usual practice. We must heed his call and we will do so.”he added.
Likewise, he trusted that the Trump Administration will manage to defeat inflation and restore the country’s energy dominance, among other urgent issues.
Shortly before this Friday’s meetings, the elected president had wished him “good luck” and had trusted that he would get all the necessary votes, a sign of his full support.
“Good luck today to House Speaker Mike Johnson, an excellent and highly capable manwhich is very close to getting 100% support,” he wrote in his Facebook profile. Truth Socialbefore adding that his re-election would also be “a triumph for the Republican Party and another recognition” of his management that has not yet begun.
Johnson reached the position of speaker of the lower house in October 2023when he was pointed out as a substitute for Kevin McCarthywho had been removed by a motion introduced by Gaetz in retaliation for a series of concessions made to Democrats.
Despite the initial support of his peers and Trump himself, his figure has generated controversy within the party, given that many see him as overly consensual and soft. In fact, his position led, in May, to a group of 11 Republicans voting in favor of his dismissal after he presented on the floor an important aid package for Ukraine, which Trumpists consider excessive.
However, the initiative ended up truncated since the Democrats did not support it.
(With information from AFP and EFE)
