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President-elect Trump appears to have helped House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) avoid a nasty, drawn-out battle for control of the House.
President Trump said he spoke by phone with Representatives Ralph Norman (South Carolina) and Keith Self (R-Texas) after they initially voted for someone other than Johnson to be speaker. Two experts spoke to Fox News Digital.
Self and Norman were seen disappearing into the side room with Johnson and others after the roll call vote was completed, but before voting officially ended.
They emerged minutes later and both announced they would vote for Johnson, cementing the Louisiana Republican’s victory.
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Congressman Keith Self (left), President-elect Donald Trump (center), and Congressman Ralph Norman (right) (Getty)
Self later confirmed to reporters that he had spoken to Trump multiple times on the phone on Friday.
“I talked to him a few times today,” Self said. We had a lively discussion.
Self did not elaborate further on the content of the discussion.
But they told Fox News Digital that after Rep. Nancy Mace (R.S.C.) voted against Johnson, they connected Self and Norman with Trump on the phone. Ta.
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Two people familiar with the matter said Congresswoman Nancy Mace linked Holdout to President Trump. (Getty Images)
Mace did not comment, but FOX News Digital saw Mace and Johnson hugging on the House floor after being side-kicked with resistance fighters.
She was also previously seen having a heated meeting with Mr Norman outside the House of Commons chambers.
Norman later confirmed to reporters that he had spoken to Trump on Friday.
“He was just making his point about how only Mike could be elected,” Norman said, adding that Trump did not change the vote, but rather that Johnson’s “things change. “That was a promise,” he added.
Mr Johnson initially appeared set to lose, but was elected speaker of the House of Commons in the first round.
Congressman Keith Self confirmed that he spoke with President Trump. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc, via Getty Images)
Self, Norman, and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) each voted for someone other than Johnson, seemingly putting the speaker’s gavel out of reach.
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However, House leaders did not formally close the vote while figuring out a way forward. Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers were told to immediately enter the House chamber in preparation for a second vote.
However, a second vote was not held and Mr Johnson took over as chairman on Friday afternoon.
Elizabeth Elkind is a political reporter for FOX News Digital, where she leads coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines can be found on the Daily Mail and CBS News.
Follow @liz_elkind on Twitter and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com.
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