Louisiana Representative Mike Johnson, a prominent figure in the in failed efforts to overturn the 2020 election, has been elected as the new Speaker of the House following weeks of internal strife within the GOP that plunged the House into disarray.
Johnson is a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump and played a pivotal role in the unsuccessful attempts to overturn the 2020 election results.
Having initially entered the House in 2016, Johnson held key positions within the House Republican Conference, serving as the vice chairman and GOP deputy whip, reflecting his influence in the party’s leadership.
A legal professional specializing in constitutional law, Johnson was part of a group of House Republicans who voted to sustain objections to electoral votes on January 6, 2021. Additionally, he participated in a ceremonial capacity during Trump’s first impeachment trial in January 2020 as part of the former president’s Senate impeachment team.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said that he doesn’t see a lot of ideological difference between Representative Mike Johnson and former Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Jeffries emphasized their shared conservative stances, including their votes to contest the 2020 election results, support for a nationwide abortion ban, advocacy for criminalizing abortion care, and shared objectives to undermine Social Security and Medicare.
“There’s no daylight between Mike Johnson and Kevin McCarthy on those issues,” Jeffries said.
When questioned about the possibility of supporting a short-term spending bill with spending cuts, Jeffries responded with a firm “no.”
