Catie Edmondson

Silence. And Michael, I have to say, sometimes lawmakers are not necessarily the most focused on the floor. Sometimes they're hard of hearing. And so the first time his name is called and there's silence, you're thinking maybe there's a mistake, maybe he's running late. But we saw him standing on the center aisle of the House floor.

Silence. And Michael, I have to say, sometimes lawmakers are not necessarily the most focused on the floor. Sometimes they're hard of hearing. And so the first time his name is called and there's silence, you're thinking maybe there's a mistake, maybe he's running late. But we saw him standing on the center aisle of the House floor.

His name was called again. And he was staring just sort of defiantly straight into space.

His name was called again. And he was staring just sort of defiantly straight into space.

And they moved on. And we saw that happen several more times throughout the roll call. Clyde. And it became extraordinarily clear, especially given which lawmakers were refusing to answer, that this was a concerted effort to deprive Johnson of the votes he needed to become speaker and basically to put a stick in his eye.

And they moved on. And we saw that happen several more times throughout the roll call. Clyde. And it became extraordinarily clear, especially given which lawmakers were refusing to answer, that this was a concerted effort to deprive Johnson of the votes he needed to become speaker and basically to put a stick in his eye.

And his predicament gets worse as we go down the roll call, because not only has Thomas Massey voted against him, voted for another Republican lawmaker, but... Self. Donalds. Two other Republicans cast their votes for other lawmakers as well. So now you had six lawmakers refusing to answer in protest and three Republicans voting against him outright.

And his predicament gets worse as we go down the roll call, because not only has Thomas Massey voted against him, voted for another Republican lawmaker, but... Self. Donalds. Two other Republicans cast their votes for other lawmakers as well. So now you had six lawmakers refusing to answer in protest and three Republicans voting against him outright.

Johnson this whole time was sitting very stoically in his seat on the House floor. But before they even, I think, got to the last set of names on the roll call, he was out of his seat and he was over talking to some of these defectors.

Johnson this whole time was sitting very stoically in his seat on the House floor. But before they even, I think, got to the last set of names on the roll call, he was out of his seat and he was over talking to some of these defectors.

And that set off a very familiar scene on the House floor, which was the Republican leader haggling and negotiating in real time with these holdouts for their votes to win the gavel.

And that set off a very familiar scene on the House floor, which was the Republican leader haggling and negotiating in real time with these holdouts for their votes to win the gavel.

Well, it looks like he's going to lose reelection. And not only that, if the vote had been called with those lawmakers casting their votes or refusing to vote, it looked as if the gavel could fall into Hakeem Jeffrey's hands, the Democratic leader, because the person who wins the speakership is the person who wins the most votes. Oh, wow.

Well, it looks like he's going to lose reelection. And not only that, if the vote had been called with those lawmakers casting their votes or refusing to vote, it looked as if the gavel could fall into Hakeem Jeffrey's hands, the Democratic leader, because the person who wins the speakership is the person who wins the most votes. Oh, wow.

So this was going to be a huge problem for not only Mike Johnson personally, but potentially Republicans at large. So Mike Johnson is negotiating. He's talking with these lawmakers. And we see those six lawmakers who refused to vote suddenly change their votes and cast them for Johnson.

So this was going to be a huge problem for not only Mike Johnson personally, but potentially Republicans at large. So Mike Johnson is negotiating. He's talking with these lawmakers. And we see those six lawmakers who refused to vote suddenly change their votes and cast them for Johnson.

Well, he still has a big problem on his hands because, again, he can only lose one Republican. And at this point in time, there are three Republicans voting against him. Now, his allies always saw Thomas Massey, the congressman from Kentucky, as being immovable, someone they were not going to be able to flip.

Well, he still has a big problem on his hands because, again, he can only lose one Republican. And at this point in time, there are three Republicans voting against him. Now, his allies always saw Thomas Massey, the congressman from Kentucky, as being immovable, someone they were not going to be able to flip.

And so Johnson's focus turns to the two other holdouts, Keith Self of Texas and Ralph Norman of South Carolina. And he'd been talking with them on the House floor, but he kind of whisks them off the House floor into this ante room. And that's when Congresswoman Nancy Mace of South Carolina intervenes. And who does she have on the phone but President Trump?

And so Johnson's focus turns to the two other holdouts, Keith Self of Texas and Ralph Norman of South Carolina. And he'd been talking with them on the House floor, but he kind of whisks them off the House floor into this ante room. And that's when Congresswoman Nancy Mace of South Carolina intervenes. And who does she have on the phone but President Trump?