Republican Rep. Mike Johnson is the new speaker of the House. He secured the job on Wednesday with 220 votes. He only needed 215 votes after several members — three Democrats and one Republican — were absent.
Southern Arizona's Congressional delegation voted down party lines, with Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R - 6) voting for Johnson and Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-7) casting a vote for democratic nominee and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
"It is the honor of a lifetime to have been elected the 56th Speaker of the House," Johnson said in a statement on X. "Thank you to my colleagues, friends, staff, and family for the unmatched support throughout this process."
Republicans selected Johnson as their nominee on Tuesday night, just hours after Rep. Tom Emmer dropped his bid for the job.
Emmer was selected by the Republican caucus earlier in the day, but quickly realized he would not be able to get the votes needed to become speaker.
Johnson emerged as the favorite of House Republicans due to his ability to unify the most conservative members of his party and the moderates.
First elected to Congress in 2016, Johnson represents Louisiana's 4th district, which covers the northwest part of the state.
He easily won reelection in bids in 2018 and 2020. He ran unopposed in 2022.
SEE MORE: Who is House speaker-designee Mike Johnson?
The House has been without a speaker for three weeks. Rep. Kevin McCarthy was ousted as House speaker on Oct. 4 after fellow Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz filed a motion to vacate. Gaetz and seven other Republicans voted against McCarthy after he joined Democrats to temporarily fund the government.
Now that Johnson is speaker, he will have to immediately get to work. The House is coming up on numerous important deadlines. Lawmakers will have to pass a bill by mid-November to keep the government open. President Joe Biden has also requested $150 billion in a national security package, which includes aid for Israel, Ukraine and funding to secure the U.S.-Mexico border.
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