Johnson has been a constitutional lawyer for the Alliance Defending Freedom, which gave him years of experience arguing religious liberty cases in federal court.
ment trial in 2020. The other side of the Repub-
lican ideological divide was also impressed. “Mike is a straightforward leader
who can unite us as Republicans!” centrist Rep. Carlos Giménez of Flor- ida noted. Johnson is “the right guy at the right
time,” Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, a for- mer top aide to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, told CBS. “He’s got his pulse, I think, on where the American people are.” Even the liberal Capitol Hill
news service Politico concluded that “Johnson has a reputation as a book- ish wonk with the sort of policy foun- dation that hasn’t been seen in a potential GOP speaker since Paul Ryan relinquished the gavel.” In addition, his unfailingly polite personality and willingness to active- ly listen to those with other view- points was an asset. One key GOP member, Rep. Kelly Armstrong of North Dakota, went through the list of all 221 House Republicans to figure out “who doesn’t have four enemies” — the number a speaker candidate could lose and still be elected with the nar- row GOP majority. Johnson and an obscure Arkansas
member were the only two he could come up with. There didn’t appear to be anyone who hated Johnson enough to sabotage his rise. The Washington Post reported
that “his strong relationships with the hard right could give him a freer hand to govern” than ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy ever got. Indeed, Johnson’s governing road
map to avoid a shutdown floated a new continuing resolution to fund the government temporarily. That was exactly the kind of bill that
prompted the revolt that overturned McCarthy.
GOLDILOCKS CANDIDATE But Johnson’s entire life has prepared him to play the role of a peacemaker and uniter. He also believes in carrying GOP arguments to the public. He has formi- dable communication skills he honed as a college professor and radio talk show host. Johnson has been a constitutional
lawyer for the Alliance Defending Free- dom, which gave him years of experi- ence arguing religious liberty cases in federal court. But he was still unknown outside
small conservative circles as recently as nine years ago, when he was 42 years of age and working as a lawyer in his hometown of Shreveport. Then his local state legislator
resigned to become a judge. Johnson immediately filed for the seat, and to his astonishment, drew no opponents and was automatically elected. When his local congressman gave
up his seat in 2016, Johnson was per- fectly positioned to run and wound up beating a Democrat with 65% of the vote, four points higher than Trump’s showing. He shrewdly stayed out of the speak-
er battle until his low-key, “happy war- rior” approach was exactly what des- perate members were looking for. For now, Republicans are relieved
to have a new leader backed by mem- bers seeking unity rather than civil war. As ugly as the coup that oust- ed McCarthy was, it has produced a thoughtful House leader who appears to be more interested in governing than showmanship. Right now, that’s just what the
House needs. DECEMBER 2023 | NEWSMAX 11
KELLY AND MIKE JOHNSON
James Michael
Johnson Born: Shreveport, Louisiana Age: 51
Married: 1999, Kelly Lary, schoolteacher. Together they host a podcast on “thoughtful analysis of hot topics and current events from a Christian perspective.”
Children: Two sons and two daughters; they also took custody of a teenager over two decades ago but never formally adopted him.
Education: Law degree from LSU.
Elected: 2016 to represent Louisiana’s Fourth District; 2023, elected speaker of the U.S. House.
Voting record: Played key role aimed at keeping Donald Trump in power after the 2020 election, arguing voting changes made by some states during the COVID-19 pandemic were unconstitutional. He voted against certifying the election results from Arizona and Pennsylvania. In Congress, he’s earned a lifetime
rating of 92% from the American Conservative Union and 90% from Heritage Action.
He has: Voted against legal abortions,
earning an A+ rating from Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America.
Voted against bipartisan legislation
to codify same-sex marriage that was signed into law in 2022.
Voted against establishing an independent Jan. 6 commission, the infrastructure law, and the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.
Voted for a debt limit law that will suspend the nation’s debt limit through Jan. 1, 2025, negotiated by former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Joe Biden.
SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON©FACEBOOK
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