5 things to know about Speaker Mike Johnson

All eyes are on Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.), the 51-year-old whose election to be the 56th Speaker on Wednesday put an end to the over three weeks of turmoil and GOP infighting in the lower chamber. 

Johnson, who was serving his second term as vice chair of the House Republican Conference, won the Speaker’s gavel in a 220-209 party-line vote over Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday, more than three weeks after former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was booted from the top spot. 

Johnson was nominated by his colleagues in a closed-door meeting Tuesday night, just hours after House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) withdrew his bid amid conservative opposition. Emmer was the third Speaker nominee the Republican conference had put up since McCarthy’s ouster.