Johnson elected US House speaker in close vote

Republican Mike Johnson could only lose two votes from his own party in his bid for speaker re-election, and he nearly did.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersJohnson re-elected as House Speaker in razor-tight margin Watch: Mike Johnson is sworn in as US Speaker of the HouseRepublican Mike Johnson survived a razor-thin vote to remain House Speaker in a drama-filled, highly anticipated vote that marked the start of complete Republican control in Washington.

Johnson could only afford to lose two votes because of the tight margin of control Republicans have in Congress. While he came close to losing re-election, he survived the vote after some lobbying.

President-elect Donald Trump previously endorsed Johnson for the role of House speaker, saying "a win for Mike today will be a big win for the Republican Party".

The House Speaker is one of the most powerful posts in Washington, controlling the lower chamber of the US Congress, and second in line to the presidency after the vice president.

Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, was backed by nearly all Republicans in his bid for re-election.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj0r6mg1yr7o

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