By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Area reps back Johnson as Speak of the House
Republicans in the U.S. House of Representative voted Tuesday to name Rep. Mike Johnson speaker
Politics

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Republicans in the U.S. House of Representative voted Tuesday to name Rep. Mike Johnson, a social conservative from Louisiana, to be the next Speaker of the House. Johnson received unanimous support among Republicans, earning 220 votes.

In a 220-209 party-line vote, all Republicans present backed Johnson. All Democrats present voted for Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York.

“I am pleased that the House Republican Conference united to elect Representative Mike Johnson as speaker of the house,” said First District Congressman Tracey Mann, Salina. “Now, we need to get back to work. We have 23 days left to restore fiscal sanity and complete the appropriations process before a government shutdown. I look forward to working with House Republicans and Speaker Johnson to reduce and re-prioritize government spending, secure the southern border, and end the weaponization of the federal government once and for all.” 

“In a 220-209 party-line vote, all Republicans present backed Johnson,” said Rep. Ron Estes, Wichita, who represents the Fourth District. “All Democrats present voted for Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York. 

“Republicans united behind our colleague Mike Johnson and we’re ready to get to work for the American people – reducing federal spending, supporting our ally Israel, holding the Biden administration accountable and securing the southern border.

“The process to elect a new Speaker was difficult at times, but I’m confident that we’ve elected an excellent speaker in Mike Johnson and that he will lead the People’s House successfully through these challenging times,” he said

Estes voted in support of Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) three times on the House floor last week and nominated his colleague Republican Study Committee Chair Kevin Hern (R-Oklahoma) in the House Republican Conference meeting yesterday. He has consistently supported conservative Republicans to lead the House as Speaker.

Johnson, who does not have a strong bipartisan track record, will be tasked with working with the Democratic-controlled Senate on a quickly approaching Nov. 17 government funding deadline, and critical legislation such as the recent nearly $106 billion supplemental request from the Biden administration to fund Ukraine, Israel and global aid and U.S border security, the Kansas Reflector reported.

Johnson has voted against several recent bipartisan pieces of legislation such as the infrastructure law, a gun safety bill signed into law and the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.

Johnson was one of more than 100 House Republicans who voted to block Pennsylvania and Arizona’s 2020 presidential election results following the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.