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WASHINGTON, DC – NOVEMBER 7: U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) speaks during a news conference with families of hostages held by Hama in Gaza, in the Rayburn Room of the U.S. Capitol November 7, 2023 in Washington, DC. Family members of people kidnapped on October 7 in Israel joined House Republican leaders to plead for their release and for continued support from the United States for Israel’s war against Hamas. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
In the United States, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson has won Republican nomination to remain in the position. It comes after US President-elect Donald Trump appeared to have backed him during a meeting with House Republicans. Louisiana Republican, Johnson still must notch a majority of votes from the 435-person chamber during a public floor vote in early January that will keep him in a job. Multiple US media outlets projected that Republicans will win enough seats to retain control of the US House of Representatives, with the party securing at least 218 seats the threshold to maintain a majority in the 435-member chamber. So far, Republicans have flipped seven seats from Democrats, while Democrats have flipped six seats from Republicans, resulting in a tally of 218 to 208. Despite the victory, the Republican majority in the House will remain slim. Johnson, was elected House Speaker in a full chamber vote of 220-209, with unanimous Republican support, in October last year, after the historical ouster of Kevin McCarthy.