Louisiana Republican Mike Johnson Becomes First House Speaker from Louisiana

WASHINGTON D.C. (KPEL News) - After a late-night vote to win the nomination for Speaker and a subsequent roll call vote on the House floor, Congressman Mike Johnson (LA-04) has been named Speaker of the House of Representatives in a 220-204 vote.

Johnson officially replaces former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who was removed from the job following Florida congressman Matt Gaetz filing a motion to vacate the chair. House Republicans went through several weeks without a leader, choosing several potential candidates but each one failed along the way.

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Louisiana Congressman Steve Scalise was the first candidate to be chosen by House Republicans, but he backed out after it was clear he wouldn't have the votes. Congressman Jim Jordan, who is a member of the House Freedom Caucus along with Gaetz, was the only other candidate to make it to a floor vote. But after losing three rounds, he eventually backed out, paving the way for Rep. Tom Emmer to try, but like Scalise, Emmer backed out before a floor vote was even held.

Johnson, who ran unopposed in the 2022 midterms, becomes the first congressman from Louisiana to become Speaker.

Prior to the vote, the Shreveport Congressman released his plan for government funding going forward. His election comes as current government funding is set to expire in mid-November.

Johnson, a "staunch conservative" according to the Wall Street Journal, will take charge of a caucus with a thin majority in the House. He'll also be overseeing efforts to fund the government, work on a farm appropriations bill, the National Defense Authorization Act, and foreign aid.