Could the fourth time be the charm for the House GOP? Politico seems to think so, noting that their pick of Rep. Mike Johnson as speaker nominee late Tuesday came with "no backbiting, no ultimatums, no snarky comments to reporters—just cheers and an overwhelming sense of relief." Republicans considered five potential nominees last night, and former President Trump on Wednesday morning threw his weight behind Johnson.
After being credited with helping to sink the bid of the third speaker nominee, Majority Whip Tom Emmer, Trump took to Truth Social Wednesday morning to hail the five men who had been under consideration and throw his support behind Johnson. Trump wrote in part, "I am not going to make an Endorsement in this race, because I COULD NEVER GO AGAINST ANY OF THESE FINE AND VERY TALENTED MEN, all of whom have supported me, in both mind and spirit, from the very beginning of our GREAT 2016 Victory. In 2024, we will have an even bigger, & more important, WIN! My strong SUGGESTION is to go with the leading candidate, Mike Johnson, & GET IT DONE, FAST! LOVE, DJT."
Johnson, whom NBC News calls "a relatively little-known Louisiana Republican and low-ranking member of the GOP leadership team," will need to do what the three men who've gone before him have failed to: secure 217 votes. The AP notes Johnson had rallied Republicans around Trump's legal effort to overturn President Biden's 2020 win. The news agency also reports that should Johnson be successful, Louisiana will claim two high-ranking GOP leaders: House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, whose own bid as speaker failed, is also from the state. The House convenes at noon ET. (More speaker of the House stories.)
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