U.S. House Speaker

Newly elected Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., thanks U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., after she delivered his nomination speech as the House of Representatives held an election for a new speaker of the House at the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 25, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Next for a new U.S. House speaker: three-week deadline to dodge a government shutdown

BY: - October 27, 2023

WASHINGTON — Newly elected U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson has three weeks to broker an agreement with Democrats to avoid a partial government shutdown when a short-term spending law expires on Nov. 17. The Louisiana Republican, who has leaped from relative obscurity to one of the four congressional leaders, has already spoken with his Senate […]

Newly elected U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La. delivers remarks with fellow Republicans on the East Front steps of the House of Representatives at the U.S. Capitol on October 25, 2023 in Washington, D.C. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Who is Mike Johnson? New U.S. House speaker belongs to GOP’s religious conservative wing

BY: - October 26, 2023

Before a relatively short time in elected office, new U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana was a constitutional lawyer deeply involved in religious causes. Prior to a short stint in the Louisiana Legislature, Johnson spent two decades as a public interest lawyer mainly representing clients in so-called religious liberty litigation, he said in an interview […]

U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., left, shakes hands with Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., as the House of Representatives holds an election for a new speaker of the House at the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 25, 2023 in Washington, D.C. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Mike Johnson of Louisiana elected speaker of the U.S. House after three weeks of stalemate

BY: and - October 25, 2023

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans on Wednesday voted for Louisiana’s Mike Johnson as speaker in a chamber that has been frozen for more than three weeks after former Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted. In a 220-209 party-line vote, all Republicans present backed Johnson, 51, a strongly conservative lawyer who represents northwest Louisiana’s 4th District. All Democrats […]

Mike Johnson of Louisiana picked as newest GOP nominee for U.S. House speaker

BY: and - October 25, 2023

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans late Tuesday voted to tap Louisiana’s Mike Johnson as speaker after the GOP nominee from earlier in the day was tanked. Johnson, 51, is the fourth Republican nominee attempting to break the deadlock in the lower chamber that has been leaderless and frozen for three weeks. He is the second to […]

U.S. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., right, and Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Pa., arrive to a House GOP candidates forum where congressmen who are running for speaker of the House presented their platforms in the Longworth House Office Building on Capitol Hill on Oct. 24, 2023 in Washington, D.C. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Emmer nominated for U.S. House speaker but drops out after Trump opposition

BY: , and - October 24, 2023

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans Tuesday voted to tap Minnesota’s Tom Emmer as speaker following five rounds of ballots — but Emmer quit the race just four hours later, after he was attacked by the GOP’s most powerful figure, former President Donald Trump. After beating six candidates, Emmer, the No. 3 Republican, faced an uphill […]

The U.S. Capitol. (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

Eight Republicans are running for U.S. House speaker. Here’s your guide to the field.

BY: and - October 24, 2023

WASHINGTON –– The eight Republican candidates to be speaker of the U.S. House were set to make their cases to their colleagues Monday evening, as the House Republican Conference restarted its process to choose a candidate. Nine had filed on Sunday to run for speaker but on Monday night Pennsylvania Rep. Dan Meuser dropped out, […]

Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, right, Republican speaker nominee, talks to his Chief of Staff Kevin Eichinger and Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., after the House of Representatives failed to elevate Jordan to speaker of the House for the third time in the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 20, 2023 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Jim Jordan’s bid to be U.S. House speaker ends after rejection by GOP in closed meeting

BY: and - October 20, 2023

WASHINGTON — Ohio Republican Jim Jordan is no longer the Republican nominee for speaker of the U.S. House. Shortly after a failed floor vote Friday on Jordan’s bid, Republicans held a closed-door meeting where Jordan failed to garner enough votes from his fellow GOP lawmakers to stay in the race as their nominee. “I told […]

U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., arrives for a House Republican members meeting as the conference continues to debate the race for speaker of the House at the U.S. Capitol Oct. 19, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Members of U.S. House GOP describe threats sparked by votes against Jim Jordan for speaker

BY: and - October 20, 2023

WASHINGTON — Nebraska GOP Rep. Don Bacon said his wife slept with a gun for protection after she received threatening phone calls demanding that her husband support Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan’s bid for U.S. House speaker. Bacon was among a handful of members who reported threats and the targeting of family members after opposing the […]

U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, speaks to members of the press at the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 19, 2023 in Washington, D.C. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

U.S. House gripped by paralysis again after GOP punts proposal for speaker pro tem

BY: , and - October 19, 2023

WASHINGTON — A resolution meant to temporarily allow U.S. House Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry of North Carolina to move critical legislation won’t be acted on and there is no new floor vote scheduled for speaker nominee Jim Jordan, House Republicans said following a tense, closed-door meeting on Thursday. “We made the pitch to members […]

U.S. House stalled again after rejecting Jim Jordan as speaker a second time

BY: and - October 18, 2023

WASHINGTON — Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan in his second bid for U.S. House speaker on Wednesday failed to win enough support from his fellow Republicans, leaving the party deadlocked with no clear path to govern the chamber. Jordan’s 200 votes on a first ballot on Tuesday dropped Wednesday to 199, a signal from centrist Republicans […]

U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, walks to the House chambers ahead of a planned vote for Speaker of the House in the House of Representatives at the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 17, 2023 in Washington, D.C. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Ohio’s Jim Jordan fails in bid for U.S. House speaker, leaving chamber paralyzed again

BY: , and - October 17, 2023

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House rejected Ohio’s Jim Jordan as a candidate for speaker on Tuesday, though he vowed to secure the votes needed in the days ahead. Jordan’s decision to try to rally roughly 20 holdouts to his side leaves the House frozen, unable to take up legislation to fund the government ahead of […]

Jim Jordan gains support as vote nears for U.S. House speaker, but outcome still in doubt

BY: , and - October 17, 2023

WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan swayed several Republican opponents to his side Monday, moving the Ohio Republican closer to the speaker’s gavel ahead of a crucial Tuesday afternoon vote. Jordan, who has been a polarizing figure in American politics for much of his time in Congress, will need the backing of nearly all the […]