WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep.
Keith Self, R-McKinney, voted against House Speaker Mike Johnson’s reelection to lead the lower chamber on Friday, before switching his vote for Johnson at the last minute. Self was one of three Republicans to initially vote against Johnson during Friday’s vote — which appeared as though it would block his leadership bid. U.
S. Rep. Thomas Massie, a libertarian leaning Republican from Kentucky, cast a vote instead for U.
S. Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota.
Massie communicated his opposition to Johnson days ahead of Friday’s vote, but the other opposing votes had kept their plans secret. U.S.
Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina voted for House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan of Ohio. Self voted for Florida’s Byron Donalds.
The defections denied Johnson the 218 votes needed to secure the gavel. But Self and Norman switched votes to Johnson before the vote was declared over, allowing Johnson to retain the speakership. Notably, U.
S. Reps. Chip Roy of Austin and Michael Cloud of Victoria — both deeply conservative members who hinted dissatisfaction with Johnson — ended up voting for the Louisiana Republican.
They had kept their votes secret until Friday’s vote, leading to speculation they would be among the votes to hamper Johnson’s leadership bid. Roy has long clashed with House leadership, asserting the longstanding procedures of the House takes power away from rank-and-file members and neglects addressing key conservative priorities — namely re.
