Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) won re-election to a third term with 216 votes out of 408 cast on the first ballot. There needed to be at minimum 29 Republican who dissented in order to force a second ballot if the full House was present.
That was not the case. Congressman Michael Grimm (R-NY) resigned after pleading guilty to tax evasion. There were several Democratic lawmakers who were attending funeral services for the former New York Governor Mario Cuomo. Several still were kept from the vote due to inclement weather. Boehner could have lost many Republican votes and still retained the Speakership.
Congressman Dan Webster (R-FL) emerged as a late challenger making for three Republicans who declared they were running against Boehner. Congressmen Louie Gohmert (R-TX) and Ted Yoho (R-FL) declared over the weekend they were running to challenge Boehner. There were 25 Republicans who voted against the Speaker which marks the largest dissension in 100 years against an incumbent Speaker. Webster was the favorite among those dissenting garnering 12 votes.
- Congressman Justin Amash (R-MI) voted for Congressman Jim Jordan (R-OH)
- Congressman Brian Babin (R-TX) voted “present”
- Congressman Rod Blum (R-IA) voted for Congressman Dan Webster (R-FL)
- Congressman Dave Brat (R-VA) voted for Congressman Jeff Duncan (R-SC)
- Congressman Jim Bridenstine (R-OK) voted for Congressman Louie Gohmert (R-TX)
- Congressman Curt Clawson (R-FL) voted for Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) (the Speaker of the House does not need to be a member of the House of Representatives)
- Congressman Scott DesJarlais (R-TN) also voted for Jordan
- Congressman Jeff Duncan (R-SC) didn’t vote for himself, instead he voted for his colleague Congressman Trey Gowdy (R-SC).
- Congressman Scott Garrett (R-NJ) voted for Webster
- Congressman Chris Gibson (R-NY) voted for House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)
- Congressman Paul Gosar (R-AZ) voted for Webster
- Congressman Gohmert voted for himself.
- Congressman Tim Huelskamp (R-KS) voted for Webster
- Congressman Walter Jones (R-NC) voted for Webster
- Congressman Steve King (R-IA) voted for Webster
- Congressman Tom Massie (R-KY) voted for Congressman Ted Yoho (R-FL)
- Congressman Mark Meadows (R-NC) voted for Webster
- Congressman Rich Nugent (R-FL) voted for Webster
- Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL) voted for Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
- Congressman Bill Posey (R-FL) voted for Webster
- Congressman Scott Rigell (R-VA) voted for Webster
- Congressman Marlin Stutzman (R-IN) voted for Webster
- Congressman Randy Webster (R-TX) voted for Gohmert
- Congressman Webster voted for himself.
- Congressman Yoho voted for himself.
