Mike Johnson struggles in first bid to retain speakership

UPDATE: During a long break, Mike Johnson managed to convince Reps. Ralph Norman (R-SC) and Keith Self (R-TX) to change their votes, returning him to the speakership.

Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) had hoped to win the speakership easily in the first round of voting.

It did not go according to plan, however.

In the first vote, Johnson's first bid for the speakership initially came up short,

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In total, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries received 215 votes, Johnson received 215 votes, and three renegade Republicans voted for someone other than either of the two leading candidates.

During a long break, Reps. Ralph Norman (R-SC) and Keith Self (R-TX) were persuaded to change their votes to back Johnson, eventually letting him retain the gavel.

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) holds the record for the most votes needed to attain the speakership, as it took him 17 rounds to finally get over the finish line back in 2023.