by Ben Whedon
Mike Johnson has won the first round of voting for Speaker after two holdouts flipped to back him.
Johnson initially took 216 votes to Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries’s 215. Three other lawmakers cast votes for someone else and none voted present.
Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., initially voted for Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, but flipped his vote to Johnson. Rep. Keith Self, R-Pa., cast his vote for Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla, but also flipped.
Johnson ended with 218 votes, the bare minimum.
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., cast a vote for Republican Whip Tom Emmer.
The House of Representatives on Friday convened for its first day of the 119th Congress.
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Ben Whedon is a reporter for Just the News.
Reprinted with permission from Just the News
