It took three weeks and three failed attempts before the Republicans finally chose their candidate as the new Speaker of the House of Representatives. The choice fell on Mike Johnson, an ultra-conservative Trump ally and congressman from the state of Louisiana. Before him, the GOP had proposed and then “burned” three other colleagues, Steve Scalise, Jim Jordan and Tom Emmert, all of whom were unable to find the 217 votes in the chamber to nominate speaker. A vote made necessary following the dismissal of Steve McCarthy – for the first time in US history – after he was bashed by the more radical wing of the party, which accused him of being “too un-Trumpian.” The Republicans, who have the majority, are therefore faced with the task of finding a replacement, but the difficulties these days reflect the internal struggles of the party, whose most extremist soul is trembling in the face of next year’s elections. The 220 Republican votes ultimately voted for Jonhson, making him the 56th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. “Now let’s get back to work,” he announced to his supporters, “I will ensure that the Chamber’s actions produce results and restore confidence in this institution.”
Who is Mike Johnson: career and ideas
Mike Johnson, 51 years old, is an evangelical Christian, Representative from Louisiana and was first elected to Congress in 2016. In his relatively short parliamentary activity, politicians with many years of experience in the institutions are traditionally chosen for the role of speaker – he was distinguished by his ultra-conservative positions. He previously voted for a nationwide ban on abortion rights, opposed federal recognition of same-sex couples and opposed requests for aid to Ukraine. He served as chairman of the Republican Study Committee and championed legislation to prevent discussions of sexual orientation or gender identity in institutions that care for children under 10 and receive public funding. He was also part of former President Donald Trump’s impeachment defense team, was among the most active in the House of Representatives urging Republicans to sign a brief overturning the 2020 election results, and participated in Trump’s attempt to overcome congressional objections to their certification raise on January 6, 2021.
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