Rep. Keith Self switches speaker vote to Johnson after phone call with Donald Trump, reports say
US Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (2nd from L), Republican from Louisiana, shakes hands with Representative Keith Self, Republican of Texas, as Representative Ralph Norman, Republican from South Carolina, looks on during the vote for Speaker of th
WASHINGTON - A Texas congressman's decision to change his vote for Speaker of the House Friday came after a phone call from President-elect Donald Trump, Fox News reported.
What We Know: Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas) was among three Republicans who initially voted for someone other than Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) during the House of Representatives' first session of the 119th Congress.
Self, who represents Texas' 3rd District which includes Collin and Hunt counties, initially voted for Byron Donalds (R-Fl.) during the roll call vote for speaker. Then, Self and Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), another Republican hold out, were seen entering a room with Johnson and others after the roll call vote, but before it was finalized.
Self and Norman then went to the House well and changed their votes to Johnson, giving Johnson the 218 votes needed to become speaker and preventing a second vote.
The decision, it seems, was aided by President-elect Donald Trump, who spoke to both holdouts over the phone.
What They're Saying: Self told reporters he spoke with Trump multiple times on the phone Friday, Fox News reported.
"I talked to him a couple of times today," Self said. "We had a lively discussion."
The congressman took to social platform X to say the vote was about his concerns over fiscal responsibility.
"My sole focus was advancing the Trump agenda," Self said. "To ensure this, I expressed concern to Speaker Johnson about fiscal responsibility and holding the line on deficit spending--key priorities for my constituents."
He said he received assurances from Johnson that Republicans would have a strong presence during the budget reconciliation process and changed his vote.