Democratic lawmakers had mixed reactions to Republican Rep. Mike Johnson's re-election as Speaker of the House the house For the 119th Congress.
Lawmakers gathered on Capitol Hill on Friday to vote to choose a president before the start of the new Congress. Johnson won the speaker's race during the first round of voting, but not all Republican Party representatives They originally supported his candidacy.
During the first round, three Republicans voted for candidates other than Johnson. However, after a brief meeting in the GOP cloak room with Johnson, Republican challengers Ralph Norman and Keith Self changed their vote for the first round, securing the Speakership for Johnson.
While it remained uncertain whether the holdout Republicans would change their votes, Democrats began to respond on social media.
Mike Johnson is re-elected Speaker of the House with the threat of GOP rebellion resolved
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Los Angeles, is congratulated by Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., left, in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol after Johnson won the speakership of the 119th Congress on Friday, January 3. . 2025. (Tom Williams)
“The GOP civil war is in full swing. And this is only day one,” House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries wrote in a post on X shortly before two GOP holdouts changed their votes.
“Hey, it only took a few minutes for the GOP to derail this train right away — without voting for the Speaker of the House,” Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-Mass., said in a social media post. “We hoped we could leave the dysfunction behind in 2024 and work for the American people! But we're headed to a runoff of House Speaker votes.”
But sentiment changed after Johnson won the hammer in just one round. One Democrat credited Johnson with securing the Speakership in a single vote after it took Republican lawmakers four days to elect a speaker in January 2023.
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“To his credit, Mike Johnson learned from the 15th round debacle two years ago. Instead of trying to disrupt his conference with a quick runoff, he kept the vote open while there was some back arm twisting and hand-wringing. The result: 2 changed,” said Rep. Hank Johnson, R-S. Georgia: “A vote is enough to win the gavel.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., speaks to the media during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol. (Kevin Deitch)
“This battle is over, but keep your popcorn close.”
“Hell has frozen over (literally – it's snowing in the capital)! With just one vote, we have a Speaker of Parliament – for now!” Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, said on X.
“Now that we have a president, let's get to work,” said Democratic Rep. Morgan McGarvey of Kentucky.
After Johnson won the Speaker's vote, other Democrats congratulated him.
“Congratulations to Mike Johnson on his re-election as Speaker of the House,” Rep. Jake Auchincloss, D-Mass., posted on social media. “There are several bipartisan vetted bills on the agenda that he could immediately put forward to help Americans: providing housing, paying for medications, securing the border.”
“We have a speaker right now!” said Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc)
Democratic lawmakers They voted unanimously for Representative-elect Hakeem Jeffries of New York.
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“215 House Democrats stand united behind our leader @RepJeffries. First round. Every round,” Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., said in an X post after the vote.
