Rep. Mike Johnson nominated for House speakership

For the second time in one day, House Republicans have named a speaker designate.

Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) is the latest Republican to be nominated for the House speakership in an increasingly chaotic race that saw the previous choice drop out just four hours after getting the nod. 

The 51-year-old edged out Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) on the third ballot of a closed-door conference vote Tuesday night, with 128 members pledging their support to the vice chairman of the House Republican conference. 

The Louisiana Republican, who serves on the House Judiciary and Armed Services committee, received 85 votes on the first ballot and 97 votes on the second ballot, according to reports. 

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) reportedly received 43 votes cast for “other” during the third round of balloting and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) who dropped out of the race last week, received one vote. 

Heading into Tuesday night’s vote, Johnson was competing against Donalds, Reps. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.), Mark Green (R-Tenn.), Roger Williams (R-Texas) and Kevin Hern (R-Okla.). 

Fleischmann was eliminated on the first ballot, and Williams was beaten on the second, during which Green dropped out of the race. Johnson topped Donalds on the third ballot in a 128-29 vote.

Hern dropped out shortly before the caucus vote. The Oklahoma Republican, rated as one of the most pro-limited government lawmakers in Congress by the conservative nonprofit Institute for Legislative Analysis, briefly re-entered the contest after dropping out earlier Tuesday to back Johnson in his race against House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.)

House Republicans have gone three weeks without a leader since McCarthy was ousted on Oct. 3 by eight of their own members, plunging the caucus into chaos.