House Republicans Choose Mike Johnson as Speaker Nominee

In a surprising turn of events, House Republicans have voted Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson as the latest nominee for the position of U.S. House of Representatives speaker. This decision comes after House Majority Whip Tom Emmer withdrew from the race, following a day of intense votes and internal debates.

There is hope among Republicans that Johnson will serve as a unifying figure, according to The Wall Street Journal. This optimism arises following several unsuccessful attempts to find a successor to Kevin McCarthy, who was removed as House speaker three weeks ago.

The failure to elect a speaker has presented obstacles in crucial matters like supporting Israel and passing a budget necessary to prevent a government shutdown next month.

However, amidst the political deadlock, there was progress on Tuesday when the U.S. Senate confirmed President Biden’s nominee Mike Whitaker as the new leader of the Federal Aviation Administration. This confirmation ends a period of more than 18 months during which the regulator operated without a permanent chief.

A vote for the House speaker is expected to take place on Wednesday, as reported by the Journal. To be elected speaker in the 433-member House, a candidate must secure a majority of votes. Currently, there are 221 Republican seats and 212 held by Democrats.