Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana Nominated as GOP House Speaker, But Can He Secure the Necessary Votes?

The Republican Party has a new nominee for House Speaker, Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana. Johnson, a relatively unknown member of the GOP leadership team, was nominated just hours after Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., had been chosen for the role. However, Emmer quickly dropped his bid after failing to secure the near-unanimous GOP support needed on the House floor.

It is still uncertain if Johnson can gain the 217 Republican votes needed to win the gavel. The GOP has been struggling to replace Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) since he was ousted three weeks ago.

On Tuesday, “The Daily Show” guest host Desus Nice poked fun at Emmer’s short-lived bid to become House speaker. Nice said he had been looking forward to Emmer as speaker because of his Zoom game, and aired footage of Emmer virtually appearing in a meeting, but appearing upside down on the screen.

The Republican Party is now looking to Johnson to fill the role of House Speaker. It remains to be seen if he can secure the necessary votes to win the gavel. In the meantime, the GOP is continuing to search for a suitable replacement for McCarthy.