After a long period of uncertainty and turmoil, Republicans in the House of Representatives have found a new Speaker in Mike Johnson, a conservative Louisiana lawmaker known for his opposition to abortion and LGBTQ+ rights.
Ever since previous House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted in a historic vote earlier this month, Republicans have been scrambling to find a replacement, nominating a quick succession of three different candidates over the past few weeks (none of whom made it to the finish line). Johnson has only served in his role as congressman for seven years, but in that time he’s found a role on the Judiciary Committee and the Armed Services Committee.
“This afternoon, President Biden called Speaker of the House Mike Johnson to congratulate him on his election and expressed that he looks forward to working together to find common ground on behalf of the American people,” the White House said in a statement on Wednesday.
Johnson played a key role in attempting to contest the 2020 presidential election results; in a speech on Wednesday, he reaffirmed his commitment to anti-immigration rhetoric in a reference to the “broken” southern border before promising that his office would be “known for decentralizing power.”
In a chilling sign of the political times, last year the new Speaker introduced legislation to effectively bar the discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity at any institution serving children younger than 10 that receives federal funds, amounting to what has been described as a gag order on teachers. Additionally, Johnson has voiced his skepticism on the causes of climate change and has endorsed the idea of covenant marriages (a conservative Christian idea that makes it more difficult to initiate divorce).
