This was the official election for the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The Speaker is the highest-ranking officer of the chamber and is responsible for managing its daily business, deciding which bills come to the floor, and maintaining order during debates. At the start of every new Congress, members vote by name for their preferred candidate. To win, a candidate usually needs a majority of all votes cast for a specific person. Members who do not vote or who vote "present" do not count toward the total number of votes needed to win. Representative Mike Johnson was elected as Speaker. This vote followed party lines, with Republicans supporting Johnson and Democrats recorded as opposing his selection. With a Speaker chosen, the House can now proceed to swear in its members and begin its legislative work.