I'm not sure how 25 Republicans not voting for him when he can only afford 4 is "surviving" or "moving closer" but this is the latest from CNN:
"Johnson moves a step closer to the speakership
"From CNN's Haley Talbot, Melanie Zanona and Manu Raju
"House speaker designee Mike Johnson survived a key roll-call vote Tuesday night to move him a stop closer to clinching the gavel -- an abrupt shift after it had earlier appeared his bid was collapsing."
1/2
"GOP members who had been opposed to Johnson's bid voted "present" and the Louisiana Republican prevailed. There were three present votes and 22 members not voting, or absent.
"Johnson said lawmakers will head to the House floor on Wednesday to make it official."
2/2
@acwhite Well, a technicality, remember that anyone who votes present is not counted as a vote against a nominee, so a nominee can lose more.
But yeah, it's a step closer, just like if I start walking east right now I'll be taking a step closer to Europe, but I'm almost certainly not going to get there.
He'll take the next step. There's a little optimism in my mind that this will overcome the mathematical realities of the situation.
@volkris True. But that many "present" Republicans and Hakeem Jeffries becomes Speaker of the House.