House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Los Angeles, narrowly held the gavel in a dramatic vote Friday afternoon.
Republicans are eager to take the oath President-elect Trump Later that month, leveraging their control of the House, the Senate and the White House avoided the same fate as previous drawn-out elections for House leaders.
After some back-and-forth between Trump and Johnson, Representative Thomas Massie, R-Kentucky, was the only Republican to challenge the leadership and vote against Johnson.
Here's a look at the biggest moments of the first vote 119th Congress:
1. Five Republicans refuse to vote; Three votes against Johnson
Johnson appeared to be on his way to defeat when five Republicans sat silently while their clerk called their names to vote. Three others — Republican Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, and Keith Self of Texas — voted against Johnson.
Massie voted for House Whip Tom Emmer, Republican of Minnesota; Norman voted for Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio; Self voted for Representative Byron Donalds, Republican of Florida.
At the end of the vote, the names of those who refused to vote on the first male were called again. Reps. Andy Harris, Republican of Maryland; Andy Biggs, Republican from Arizona; Andrew Clyde, Republican from Georgia; Michael Cloud, Republican of Texas; Chip Roy, Republican of Texas, ultimately voted for Johnson.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Los Angeles, narrowly held the gavel in a dramatic vote on Friday. (Tom Williams)
GOP insurgents shift vote to Johnson after Trump's 11th-hour calls, pushing him over the finish line
2. Trump invites two defectors from the Republican Party
Trump then phoned both Norman and Self and urged them to change their vote for Johnson, the two congressmen confirmed to Fox News Digital.
Two people who spoke with Fox News Digital said Rep. Nancy Mace connected Trump with Self and Norman over the phone after they voted against Johnson.
Mace did not comment, but Fox News Digital saw her and Johnson sharing a hug on the House floor after they and others were in the breakout chamber with opponents.
Mace was also seen in extensive conversations with Norman outside the House chamber earlier.
Massey was irreconcilable, having long ago made up his mind that Johnson was not the right person for the job. But Johnson could only lose one vote and hold on to the gavel.
Johnson also met with Self and Norman. House leaders have not formally finished voting while determining the way forward.
MP Ralph Norman, RSC, initially voted against Johnson. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Norman and Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, changed their vote after speaking with both Johnson and President-elect Trump. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
3. Self and Norman change their vote
After about an hour of voting for the others, the two defectors switched their votes, granting Johnson his wish.
Self said he changed his vote in order to help advance “Trump's agenda.”
Mike Johnson is re-elected Speaker of the House with the threat of GOP rebellion resolved
“Trump's agenda is the most important. Trump's agenda is the most important, and we need to support the processes in the House to make sure that we have the strongest negotiating team for the reconciliation package that will come. So, again, it was all about making the agreement possible.” “Trump’s agenda is more successful,” Self said.
Norman said he spoke with Trump, but was ultimately persuaded to change his mind because of promises he received from Johnson to make “real change.”
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Trump “just made his point that Mike is the only person who can get elected,” Norman said.
He said Johnson did not offer him a trade-off but rather a “commitment that things will change.”
Fox News' Liz Elkind contributed to this report.
