The second ballot results:
Johnson 97
Donalds 31
Green 21
Williams 20
Others 34
Present 3
Green and Williams bowed out, so they’re voting on the final round between Donalds and Johnson (and Other, who keeps growing their vote)
Mike Johnson wins with 128 votes.
Does he have enough to get to 217 total in the up and down?
How long till Johnson drops out because Trump mean-tweets, I mean, mean-truths him?
I know nothing about Johnson so maybe he is a total MAGAhead. But, I don’t think that really matters when the leopards decide to pounce on you.
Well, he gained only 31 votes (compared to the second vote) in, ostensibly, a two-man race. I’d lean towards “no, he can’t get virtually all of the GOP delegation behind him.”
This time, it looks like the opposition comes from more institutionalist (don’t say “moderate”) Republicans who are pissed that the Conference keeps nominating Speaker candidates only for them to have to withdraw due to an apparent FC veto.
Will these Members hold firm on a floor vote or fall in line? They held firm on Jordan, but he was particularly radioactive with many of his colleagues. Given how long this has gone on and that Johnson is lower profile, they may go along to get this over with.
Johnson is a member of the House Freedom Caucus.
He supported Trump’s Muslim ban; believes medical marijuana is a gateway drug; served as a member of Trump’s legal defense team during both impeachment trials; opposes Obergefell; introduced an act to prevent public schools and libraries from promoting or mentioning gender identity; and supports student-led public prayer in schools.
He’s awful.
Roll call vote in progress.
The final vote total that elected Johnson:
Johnson 128
Donalds 29
Others 44 (43 of them for McCarthy)
Present 1
Will 40+ McCarthy voters go for Johnson?
I hope not.
It was easy for them to cast a secret ballot for McCarthy as a protest. They’re having the roll call right now where Members have to say whether they’ll support Johnson on the floor.
I just read that Hill, Massie and Amodei have voted Present so far
He’s toast as soon as someone retweets this at Loser Donald.
Looking back in the thread, it looks like Emmer ended with 117 in the previous last round of nominees. So it is “progress”.
Edit: Correcting
Emmer had 117 votes in the final ballot that “elected” him.
Agreed.
But this from Politico sounds promising:
How long until McCarthy volunteers to come back because some people keep voting for him?
I mean, if they really get moving they could elect three speaker nominees in a single day!
Rep. Mike Johnson voted against certifying the 2020 election and led 105 House Republicans in supporting a lawsuit to invalidate election results in Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
A lot of absences in the room but Johnson is reportedly doing well.
I’m all for that. Maybe a non-partisan state Supreme Court chief Justice who was about to retire. However, Jeffries seems to have another idea.
If the Hastert Rule was dropped, and some other change made to prevent an 9ld-fashioned strong speakership, it might not matter who is the speaker.
I wonder if they are getting close to going back to Scalise.