House GOP taps Rep. Mike Johnson as new speaker nominee

The House GOP held three rounds of balloting on Tuesday night, whittling down the field of House speaker candidates to Reps. Byron Donalds of Florida and Mike Johnson of Louisiana, with Johnson winning the third round, according to House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.).

"Congratulations Speaker-designate @RepMikeJohnson!" Stefanik wrote in a post on X.

Earlier in the day, Republicans held multiple round of voting, with House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) emerging as the GOP speaker nominee only to drop out hours later.

Former President Donald Trump blasted Emmer on Truth Social, calling the congressman "a Globalist RINO" and warning that voting for the lawmaker "would be a tragic mistake!"

"I have many wonderful friends wanting to be Speaker of the House, and some are truly great Warriors. RINO Tom Emmer, who I do not know well, is not one of them," Trump wrote in the post.

Previously, the House GOP had tapped Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio as the speaker nominee, but Jordan's bid ultimately collapsed after he failed to win the gavel in three separate House votes. Before that, the House GOP had tapped House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana as the nominee, but he later dropped out.

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