After weeks of fighting, the House Republicans nominated Mike Johnson (R-LA) as House speaker, signaling another rightward shift for the party after the removal of House Speaker McCarthy.
In the fourth vote for Speaker, Johnson passed with a unanimous 220 Republican votes, with 209 Democrats opposing.
“Mike has demonstrated his Conservative commitment to America, and House Republicans are ready to unite under his leadership for the American people,” said Idaho Rep. Russ Fulcher on X.
Johnson represents the northern part of Louisiana, where he’s lived his whole life. His six years of work as a representative make him the youngest-tenured speaker of the house in over a century.
Speaker Mike Johnson taking the Oath of Office. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
Despite sitting on several prominent House committees and co-sponsoring hundreds of bills, he’s a bit of an unknown figure. In Mitt Romney’s (R-UT) tell-all biography released Tuesday, Romney: A Reckoning, Romney discusses dozens of elected figures across both chambers of Congress but he never once mentions Johnson.
House Speaker Johnson chose to forgo much of the celebration that normally accompanies a Speaker nomination, hoping to tackle some of the issues that the House has been unable to address without a speaker.
Johnson considers himself a strong evangelical Christian, and he referenced the Bible in both his opening address and his inaugural letter.
“It is our duty to chart a new path, and answer with clarity and conviction who we are, why we are here, and what we are fighting for,” Johnson wrote in his inaugural letter. “As Scripture reminds us, ‘Where there is no vision, the people perish.’”
Johnson’s platform
Speaker Mike Johnson laughing with former President Donald Trump. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
Johnson played a leading role in wrangling support from House Republicans to overturn the 2020 election results, both immediately after election day and before Jan. 6. He was also one of the few representatives to oppose a formal investigation into the Jan. 6 riot. Former President Donald Trump showed support for Speaker Johnson on X.
In terms of policy, Johnson supports a nationwide abortion ban and would like to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 Supreme Court case that legalized same-sex marriage.
Johnson opposes additional aid for Ukraine and proposed a bill earlier this year to heighten requirements for migrants seeking asylum in the U.S.
In a podcast earlier this month, he shared his views on the separation of church and state.
Mike Johnson and his wife, Kelly Johnson, on their podcast "Truth be Told" Photo credit: Spencer Driggs
“If anybody tries to convince you that your biblical beliefs or your religious viewpoint needs to be separated from public affairs, you should politely remind them to review their history and you should not back down,” Johnson said.
Johnson has some big assignments ahead, including a budget deadline on Nov. 17. Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) work to pass that spending bill earlier this month led to his removal by fellow House Republicans.
