As Republican House members filed out of their closed-door conference after 10 p.m. on Tuesday, some who talked to Newsmax could not believe what they had done in the past four hours.
After listening to presentations from six contenders for House speaker and then voting on four secret ballots, the lawmakers chose Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., as their designated candidate to succeed dethroned Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.
Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., noted that "there was a desire among many of our members for new leadership and a fresh face." His stands on social issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage, both of which he strongly opposes, and firm opposition to further military aid to Ukraine aside, Johnson is known for voicing those views without being disagreeable.
Five-termer Johnson, 51, a constitutional lawyer and onetime radio talk show host, was the last standing opponent to Emmer in the Tuesday morning vote for a speaker-designate and drew 97 votes to the Minnesotan's 117. Johnson gained ground on three successive ballots and finally went over the top when Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., chair of the House GOP Study Committee, and Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Mich., a retired Marine lieutenant general, ended their speakership bids to support the Louisianan.
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