House Speaker Mike Johnson will hold onto his position as head of the chamber after Republicans cast their votes in his favor. President-elect Donald Trump threw his support behind Johnson.

An exciting and dramatic first day of the Texas legislative session is in the books. The House of Representatives elected a new speaker, but he wasn't the candidate with his party's official backing.

Arkansas' 95th General Assembly convenes today at noon and the House formally elects a speaker who is set to appoint a committee chairman. The Senate president pro tempore is also speaking for the Senate.

House Speaker Dade Phelan had been seeking his third session in the leadership role but dropped out of the race on Dec. 6. He’d faced scrutiny from some within the GOP for his leadership, including the appointment of Democrats as committee chairs – a long held House tradition – and the House’s impeachment of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Instead, new House Speaker Dustin Burrows won the job with the support of Democrats, who favored him over a challenger backed by the GOP’s emboldened right.

Burrows’ selection as speaker came after months of infighting among Republicans and pressure from state officials. Burrows, an attorney from Lubbock, beat out Reps. David Cook, R-Mansfield, and Ana-Maria Ramos,

"The duty bestowed upon me today as Speaker of the Texas House is one of immense responsibility and honor, and I thank each of my colleagues for their trust and vote of confidence," Burrows said in statement posted to X.