The new Congress began on Friday, with Republicans poised to take full control of Washington this month. But the new session was not without drama within the party.
Alsa Chan, host:
House Speaker Mike Johnson has been re-elected in a relatively short period of time as the new Congress opens today in the first step towards a new Republican-controlled Washington. Mr. Johnson shot down expectations that a disorganized wing of the Republican conference would derail those plans, saying it was now time to get to work.
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Mike Johnson: This is a powerful new coalition for our country. It is a coalition that advocates for the final purge of American policy and burial in the graveyard of historical mistakes because it was a huge mistake.
CHANG: Some of Mr. Johnson’s Republican colleagues had threatened to defect, but they went along. Joining us now is NPR Congressional Correspondent Claudia Grisales. Hey, Claudia.
Claudia Grisales, signed: Hi, Ailsa.
CHANG: Okay. So just a few hours ago, many people weren’t sure whether House Speaker Johnson would be re-elected, much less on the first ballot. In other words…
Grisales: Yes.
CHANG: …Just two years ago, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy went through about 15 rounds before getting the gavel. What’s different here?
Grisales: Donald Trump.
Chan: Oh.
GRISALES: It’s clear that this unruly faction of the House Republican Conference known as the Freedom Caucus and its allies are reading the mood in the room. And they know there’s a new sheriff in town, and that Trump will take office in a few weeks and use every available resource to make life miserable for his opponents. He is signaling that he knows. This is a short-term change from what we saw in December, for example, when Congress passed a stopgap spending measure. In other words, many House Republicans were willing to go against President Trump’s interests on budget issues, but in this case, when it came down to it, when it came to saying no to Chairman Johnson, they stood their ground. There was only one member.
Chan: Yes. So who is this holdout and how did Johnson pull it off?
Grisales: Yes. This holdout was Kentucky’s Thomas Massie. We had a lot of warnings that he would stick to his number. And Johnson ultimately did it because he could only lose one Republican. Traditionally, this is a vote that should only take a few minutes. Each member’s name is called. They shout out their potential speakers. However, several members of the House of Commons Freedom Caucus made Mr Johnson sweat and did not respond when called upon. Only three people got no votes: Massey, South Carolina’s Ralph Norman, and Texas’ Keith Self. This triggered a series of off-the-street negotiations that extended the first round of voting by more than an hour, ultimately allowing Mr Johnson to sway Self and Norman to seal the deal.
Chan: Hmm. Okay, on the other hand, even House Republicans were facing narrow margins in both chambers. We haven’t seen any drama at this level in the Senate anywhere, have we?
Grisales: Yes. correct. The new Senate Majority Leader, John Thune of South Dakota, began his role with ease today. What we should note, however, is that Mr Johnson simply needed support from a majority of the chamber, rather than the near-party unity he sought in the House of Commons. And Thune is the longtime whip for former Republican leader Mitch McConnell in the Senate. He is considered a moderate voice within the party and has repeatedly stood on the opposite side of President-elect Donald Trump in many debates. However, Mr. Thune supported Mr. Trump in the final stages of last year’s presidential election, and Mr. Trump is increasing his support for the president-elect.
Chan: So, what are you going to do now that everyone is done with their housework?
GRISALES: Well, after his re-election, Mr. Johnson said that Americans have been demanding economic prosperity, rebuilding the middle class, and a strong military. He made it clear that the U.S.-Mexico border and immigration would be addressed first. He said this was not a partisan project, but a patriotic duty. But this is all part of the mission to bring Republicans together, and the party will face many more challenges in the process.
CHANG: NPR’s Claudia Grisales. Thank you so much, Claudia.
Grisales: Thank you.
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