House GOP shrugs and renominates failed speaker
Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana is expected to return as speaker in 2025, leading yet another narrow GOP majority that can barely agree on what color the sky is, let alone pass legislation.
NBC News, ABC News, and CNN all projected on Wednesday that Republicans will maintain control of the House, after the party clinched the 218 needed for a majority. And later that same day, Johnson secured the nomination of the House Republican caucus.
Some right-wing House members crowed about wanting to put up a challenge to Johnson, who became speaker in 2024 basically by accident after Republicans ousted Kevin McCarthy and had an internal civil war about whom to replace him with—and Johnson coming out of nowhere to win that fight. But this time, the hard-line conservatives were unable to figure out who would challenge Johnson, according to The Hill.
But after Trump told House Republicans on Wednesday that he supported Johnson for another term as speaker, that opposition melted away.
That's unsurprising since when Trump says "jump," Republicans respond with "how high?"
“If Donald Trump says ‘jump 3 feet high and scratch your head,’ we all jump 3 feet high and scratch our heads,” Republican Rep. Troy Nehls of Texas, clad in fugly gold sneakers and a Trump tie, told reporters on Wednesday.