Mike Johnson is re-elected Speaker of the House of Representatives

2025-01-04 14:50:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Mike Johnson was re-elected speaker of the House of Representatives on Friday after a long round of voting that highlighted the continuing divisions within the Republican Party in Congress.

He initially appeared unable to secure the votes he needed to retain the leadership role, but two Republicans who initially did not support him changed their minds by voting for him after more than an hour and a half of negotiations. He was re-elected with 218 votes, the minimum required.

Republicans control the House of Representatives by a narrow 219-215 majority.

The vote was an early test of the Republican Party's ability to be united as it aims to advance President-elect Donald Trump's agenda of tax cuts and strengthening border security. The process also tested Mr. Trump's influence in the Capitol, where a handful of Republicans had shown interest in challenging him.

Republicans in the House of Representatives have faced internal divisions over the past two years.

Mr. Johnson took office after the Republican Party fired his predecessor Kevin McCarthy midway through the latter's term.

Two years ago, Mr. McCarthy was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives after 15 rounds of voting.

In this new legislature, Republicans will also have control of the Senate, which until now was held by Democrats.

Republicans will have a 53-47 majority, well short of the 60 votes needed to pass most legislation.

With Mr. Trump's swearing in on January 20, Republicans will have control of all three branches of government in both houses of Congress and the White House.

Traditionally, the first 100 days of a new Presidency and Congress represent a period for an ambitious legislative agenda.

"The new president will focus on tariffs, the border, executive orders related to immigration and immigrants, especially those from Mexico and Muslim countries. And then he will try for every possible compromise to ensure the adoption of laws on issues related to the economy, food, as he prefers to call them," Casey Burgat, a professor at the university, told Voice of America via the Zoom platform. "George Washington"./ Voa