Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) was the only House Republican to vote against Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) while two other GOP lawmakers ultimately flipped their votes after initially backing others, paving the way for Johnson to retain the gavel Friday.
Massie voted for House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) in the first round of the Speakership vote, following through on his promise to oppose the Louisiana member.
But Johnson was able to clinch the top post in the lower chamber after Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) and Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas) switched their votes. Norman initially first backed Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), while Self supported Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.).
A group of hard-line conservatives reserved their support for Johnson until the House floor vote Friday, and a half-dozen stayed silent during the first roll call before supporting Johnson on second pass.
Following Self and Norman’s decision to flip their votes, House members started shaking Johnson’s hand, as he is now set to be sworn in as the Speaker of the 119th Congress.
President-elect Trump began publicly lobbying for Johnson in the days before the vote.
Only Massie was unmoved, arguing Johnson was not up to the job and would ultimately cost Republicans the House majority in 2026.
“[We] want a Speaker who inspires the public and who can make our case in the media, so we can keep the majority for the second half of Trump’s term,” Massie wrote on social media Tuesday.
