Boris Johnson wins race to become next British prime minister

Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson has won the race to become Britain's next prime minister and use his brand of optimism and bluster to try to break the three-year Brexit impasse.

The former London mayor beat Jeremy Hunt in theConservative Party leadership contest to take over from Theresa May on Wednesday.

He garnered 92,153 Conservative votes against Foreign Secretary Hunt's 46,656.

After being announced winner, Johnson said it was a privilege to serve in May's Cabinet and see the passion and determination she brought to the many causes that are her legacy.

He said it is an "extraordinary honour and privilege" to be elected Tory leader.

"Many congratulations to@BorisJohnsonon being elected leader of@Conservatives- we now need to work together to deliver a Brexit that works for the whole UK and to keep Jeremy Corbyn out of government. You will have my full support from the back benches," May tweeted.

BREXIT

He will immediately march into a head-on collision with the 27 EU leaders and his own parliament.

His problems is compounded by an oil tanker standoff in the Gulf with Iran.

Passions are running high and Johnson -- who charms and alarms in equal measure -- will be accomplishing his life-long ambition of heading Britain at one of its most vulnerable times since World War II.

Britons are still bitterly debating the consequences of their narrow 2016 vote to leave the European Union after 46 years of political and economic ties.

Johnson has vowed to take Britain out by the twice-delayed October 31 deadline -- with or without a deal -- "do or die, come what may".

But Brussels refuses to renegotiate the pact it struck with outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May after 17 months of bruising talks.

Her repeated failure to ram that deal through parliament forced her to tearfully announce her resignation as Conservative Party leader on June 7.

That triggered a leadership contest in which fewer than 200,000 paying Conservative Party members took part.

Johnson will start appointing a new team on Wednesday after being formally appointed by the queen.