Louisiana Republican Mike Johnson has officially been elected as the 56th Speaker of the House after nearly three weeks of infighting amongst GOP members.
Johnson, who has served in Congress since being elected in 2017, takes over at a crucial time in the nation, as a spending bill needs to be passed to keep the government open. Johnson also assumes his role when bipartisanship seems more like a myth rather than a possibility.
Still, not many are aware of who the new Speaker is and what qualifies him to serve in one of the highest positions of power in our government.
Two years after being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, Johnson began serving as the Chair of the Republican Study Committee, and two years later, he was named the vice chair of the House Republican Conference.
Before his time in Congress, Johnson graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree in business administration. He then went on to obtain a law degree from LSU’s law school and work as a constitutional lawyer.
One question surrounding the new Speaker is his stance on former President Donald Trump, who has seemingly created two factions of the Republican party.
In a podcast Johnson hosts with his wife called, “Truth be Told with Mike & Kelly Johnson,” he says in the intro that Trump is a “great guy.”
In his podcast, Johnson also discusses several hot topics currently facing the nation.
Johnson says in one of the episodes that his podcast’s purpose is to “offer a biblical perspective on the big cultural, social and political issues that are in the headlines each and every week … and how to respond in a way that we believe the lord would have us respond.”
When it comes to the LGBTQ, Johnson says he believes the movement has an agenda that is “pointed at and focused on children.”
On abortion, Johnson fought to protect pro-life institutions, attempting to pass a bill to push back against attacks on churches and other faith-based institutions.
“In post-Roe America, now we have to work harder than ever to ensure that all babies are given the same chance and that the life of every unborn child is sacred,” Johnson said.
Among Republicans, Johnson appeared to be celebrated, with former Speaker Kevin McCarthy congratulating him and saying he was the right person for the job before the vote on Wednesday.
Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN), who received the nomination for a short while before Johnson, also shared his support for the new Speaker. He also added that what’s happened for the last three weeks is a sign of democracy working.
“These last few weeks probably look like total chaos, confusion, no end in sight. But from my perspective, this is one of the greatest experiences and risks of recent history,” Emmer said.