WASHINGTON—President-elect Donald Trump endorsed House Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) to remain in his post, moving Wednesday to unify GOP lawmakers and avoid a replay of the leadership drama that dragged down the party over the past two years.

Speaker Mike Johnson is beginning the hard fight for his gavel, a weeks-long campaign that starts Wednesday during internal House Republican leadership elections and will establish the new power centers in Congress for a Washington dominated by President-elect Donald Trump.

While Johnson has no serious challenger, he faces dissent within his ranks, particularly from hard-right conservatives and the Freedom Caucus withholding their votes as leverage to extract promises ahead.

Speaker Mike Johnson has won the support of enough Republicans to stand as their candidate for the gavel in January.

House Republicans are slated to elect a leadership team, including re-nominating Mike Johnson for speaker, and meet with President-elect Donnld Trump.