Jan. 3—Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson reclaimed his gavel on the first day of the 119th Congress on Friday.
Initially there appeared to be some Republican holdouts, but Johnson, R-La., won the speakership with 218 Republican votes of the 434 House members voting. Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., said the vote foreshadows continued GOP dysfunction.
Three Republicans initially voted for different speakers, but two of them — Reps. Keith Self of Texas and Ralph Norman of South Carolina — changed their votes before the count was officially tallied. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., voted for Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn.
President-elect Donald Trump repeatedly endorsed Johnson’s speakership.
All 215 Democrats voted for Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
“It took to the end of the first ballot to elect a speaker today, which unfortunately, I think, really is an omen of what is to come in terms of the continued dysfunction in the GOP,” Stansbury said.
New Mexico’s congressional delegation was sworn in Friday, along with the rest of the body. Stansbury said she plans to focus on housing issues and behavioral health in the new session.
Stansbury has been working on a slate of behavioral health legislation on a bipartisan basis over the last several years, and she expects those to progress this session.
“That includes legislation to expand telehealth and rural health care services, to address the shortage of nurses and other health care professionals across our communities, to address tribal health care needs, and we will be focusing, as I said, especially on the housing crisis, homelessness and behavioral health,” Stansbury said.
Her office has been working with Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Bernalillo and Sandoval counties and the Pueblos in Sandoval County to expand health care and recovery services, she said.
In the Senate, Republican John Thune of South Dakota was elected majority leader. The Senate has switched from blue to red after Republicans flipped four Democratic seats in November.
Congress’ next task will be certifying election results Monday. Certification of results from President Joe Biden’s election win in 2021 was disrupted by a violent mob.
D.C. and federal law enforcement have significantly increased security for Monday’s certification and the coming inauguration, Stansbury said. She will be voting to certify Trump’s win.
“The peaceful transfer of power is a hallmark of democracy and this country’s legacy,” Stansbury said.