Rep. Mike Johnson can afford to lose five Republican votes Wednesday in his speakership bid as the roll call is underway.

With 429 House members in the Capitol today, only one Republican -- Wisconsin Rep. Derrick Van Orden -- is absent. The other three missing members are Democrats.

That means Johnson can win the speaker's gavel with 215 votes if all members vote and nobody votes "present." Therefore, Johnson can afford to lose five votes and still become speaker.

--ABC News' Ben Siegel

Rep. Pete Aguilar, the No. 3 House Democrat, introduced House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries as House Democrats' speaker nominee.

Aguilar accused House Republicans of trying to push forward support for an abortion ban and "overturning a free and fair election," noting Rep. Mike Johnson's past opposition to certifying the 2020 election results.

Aguilar praised Jeffries as someone who "believes that everyone in America should have the opportunity to get ahead" and "in keeping our government running and open."

"If House Republicans choose, they can still join us on a bipartisan path forward," Aguilar said.

Jeffries took a swipe at Republicans during his speech saying, "This has been about one thing, this is about who can appease Donald Trump."

Then, several Republicans, including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Cory Mills, and Troy Nehls, also stood up and started applauding.
Aguilar continued, "House Republicans have put their names behind someone who has been called the most important architect of the electoral college objections," in a reference to Johnson's role getting Republicans to sign on to the unsuccessful Texas lawsuit to get the Supreme Court to toss the 2020 election votes in key swing states.

He was interrupted by Greene and other Republicans again. A group of them started clapping. One shouted, "That's right!" and another started chanting "Mike!"
Democrats were surprised by the response.

"We know how you feel. Yeah. You've made that clear," Aguilar said, before continuing.

-ABC's Tal Axelrod and Benjamin Siegel

Rep. Elise Stefanik, a member of House GOP leadership, introduced Rep. Mike Johnson as House Republicans' nominee for House speaker.

Stefanik praised Johnson as a “friend to all and an enemy to none” and “smart, tough and fair.”

“House Republicans and Speaker Mike Johnson will never give up. Today is the day we get this done,” she said at the end of her speech.

Democrats looked to brand Rep. Mike Johnson before the House voted on his possible ascension to the speakership.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries cast him as out of step with the American mainstream on issues such as the 2020 election and abortion.

"Well, Mike Johnson, who's the newest nominee, has a very pleasant demeanor in terms of how he communicates, but his voting record is as extreme as the most extreme members of their conference with very few exceptions," Jeffries said in Washington Wednesday, pointing to his efforts to not have the 2020 election results certified.

Jeffries also cited Johnson's opposition to abortion, saying he seeks "to criminalize abortion care and impose a nationwide ban."

The Democratic National Committee also put out a memo hitting Johnson, hinting the party will seek to make him a boogeyman on the 2024 campaign trail if he clinches the gavel.

"Johnson would be the most extreme speaker of the House in history. Republicans nationwide will have to answer for his extreme MAGA track record of election denialism, abortion extremism, and bold-faced partisanship in 2024," DNC Executive Director Sam Cornale wrote in the memo obtained by ABC News.