TRANSCRIPT
"The roll now will be called, and those responding to their names will indicate by surname the nominee of their choosing. The reading clerk will now call the roll."
That's clerk of the United States House of Representatives Kevin McCumber opening a much-anticipated ballet to elect the speaker of the House.
As the House is ruled by Republicans with the slimmest of margins - holding 219 seats to the Democrats 215 - it was an important moment for the party to demonstrate an ability to overcome disagreements for the sake of governance ahead of president-elect Donald Trump's second term.
The initial count saw three Republicans oppose the re-election of Representative Mike Johnson as speaker, a result that would force the House to a second round of voting.
But then, something extraordinary happened: Donald Trump stepped in.
At least one of the members who voted against Mr Johnson, Representative Keith Self, received a call from Trump.
"I talked to the president twice today. I think we came to an agreement with the speaker that we will have a very strong negotiating team when it comes to the reconciliation package, which is Donald Trump's number one priority. That's what this was all about."
And just like that, two of the three dissident Republicans returned to the House floor to switch their votes.
"Therefore, the Honorable Mike Johnson of the state of Louisiana having received a majority of the votes cast is duly elected Speaker of the House of Representatives for the 119th Congress."
The final tally was 218 to 215.
The longest-serving member of the House, Hal Rogers of Kentucky, delivered the oath of office to Mr Johnson as he was sworn in.
"The Speaker of the House is the critical protector and promoter of self-rule, the keeper of the dream, if you will. And we've elected this man from Louisiana to carry on our bold experiment in democracy and self-rule. So, sir, if you're ready to assume this awesome responsibility, please raise your right hand."
Despite the hint of chaos, the result of the vote is somewhat surprising as infighting within the conservative party has made these processes lengthy and disruptive in recent history.
Former speaker Kevin McCarthy was elected in January 2023 after an unprecedented 15 rounds of voting over four days.
And later that year in October, McCarthy was ousted following disagreements with hardline Republicans, the first time the House had removed its incumbent speaker in congressional history.
"The office of speaker of the house of the United States House of Representatives is hearby declared vacant."
What followed was a lengthy three-week saga where a number of speaker candidates were introduced before being ultimately rejected.
Mike Johnson, a conservative Christian lawyer emerged as a consensus pick to win the vote, but has since struggled to keep his party unified.
But it seems this time, with a busy legislative agenda ahead of them with Donald Trump's many ambitious promises such as cutting taxes and deporting millions of undocumented migrants, Republicans understood the need to come together.
In accepting his re-election Mr Johnson says he will help bring about an end to the status quo order of Congress to usher in Trump's vision of America.
"It is the great honour of my life to serve this body with all of you. This is a powerful new coalition of our country. It's a coalition that insists that we purge the policies of America last and we bury them in the graveyard of history's mistakes because it was a big mistake. To that end, this Congress will renounce the status quo, and we will listen to the voices of the people. We will act quickly, and we will start by defending our nation's borders. That's a number one priority. We're going to expedite new drilling permits. We're going to drastically cut back the size and scope of government. We're going to return the power back to the people."
The re-elected speaker also stressed the need to work together with Democratic adversaries, something all the more prescient due to his slim majority of support.
"Working together we have the potential to be one of the most consequential Congresses in the history of this great nation so long as we work together, we do the right thing and we put America first."
And, in response, the Democrats House Minority Leader Representative Hakeem Jeffries, has pledged to ensure the American people will be put before partisanship.
"There's a time to campaign and a time to govern. The election is over. This is a new Congress. The American people need us as their elected representatives in this season to put down our partisan swords and pick up bipartisan plowshares. It's time for us to come together and finally lower the high cost of living in the United States of America once and for all. And we will work with anyone of any party to get that done."
