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House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, narrowly held on to the gavel in a tense vote Friday afternoon.
Republicans eager to take oath President-elect Trump later this month and capitalizing on his control of the House, Senate and White House avoided the same fate of the last two presidential elections.
After some disputes between Trump and Johnson, ultimately Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., was the only Republican to challenge the leadership and vote against Johnson.
Here’s a look at the best moments from the first vote of the 119th Congress:
1. Five Republicans refuse to vote; three votes against Johnson
Johnson appeared to be headed for defeat as five Republicans sat silently as their secretary called their names to vote. Three others — Republican Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Ralph Norman of South Carolina and Keith Self of Texas — voted against Johnson.
Massie voted for House Speaker Tom Emmer, R-Minn.; Norman voted for Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio; and Self voted for Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla.
At the end of the vote, the names of those who refused to vote at the first mention were mentioned again. Reps. Andy Harris, R-Md.; Andy Biggs, R-Ariz.; Andrew Clyde, R-Ga.; Michael Cloud, R-Texas; and Chip Roy, R-Texas, ultimately voted for Johnson.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, narrowly held on to the gavel in a tense vote Friday. (Tom Williams)
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2. Trump calls two Republican defectors
Trump then spoke by phone with Norman and Self and urged them to change their vote for Johnson, both congressmen confirmed to Fox News Digital.
Two people who spoke to Fox News Digital said Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., connected Trump to Self and Norman over the phone after they voted against Johnson.
Mace declined to comment, but Fox News Digital saw her and Johnson share a hug in the House chamber after they and others were in the side room with holdouts.
Mace was also previously seen in intense conversations with Norman outside the Chamber.
Massie was irreconcilable: he had long ago decided that Johnson was not the right person for the job. But Johnson could only afford to lose one vote and hold on to the gavel.
Johnson was also snuggling with Self and Norman. House leaders did not formally end the vote as they searched for a way forward.
Rep. Ralph Norman, R.S.C., initially voted against Johnson. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Norman and Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, changed their votes after speaking with both Johnson and President-elect Trump. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
3. Self and Norman change their vote
About an hour after voting for each other, the pair of defectors changed their votes, granting Johnson his wish.
Self said he changed his vote to help promote “Trump’s agenda.”
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“Trump’s agenda is the most important thing. Trump’s agenda is the most important thing, and we need to shore up the processes in the House to make sure that we have the strongest negotiating team for the reconciliation package that will come. So, again, It was about making Trump’s agenda more successful,” Self said.
Norman said he spoke to Trump, but was eventually convinced to change his mind because of promises he received from Johnson to make “real change.”
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Trump “just made it clear that Mike is the only one who could get elected,” Norman said.
He said Johnson did not offer him a quid pro quo but rather “a commitment that things are going to change.”
Fox News’ Liz Elkind contributed to this report.
