Louisiana Republican Rep. Mike Johnson has emerged as the latest nominee for House speaker, beating out three other contenders. The nomination came after Majority Whip Tom Emmer withdrew his bid due to a lack of GOP support. However, Johnson’s path to victory is uncertain as he needs to secure 217 Republican votes, a majority of the full House. A floor vote could be held as early as Wednesday afternoon.
Johnson, who has served in Congress since 2016, is well-liked among his Republican colleagues and has avoided making political enemies. He follows in the footsteps of his political mentors, Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, both of whom also won speaker nominations but dropped out. All three started as state lawmakers before moving up to leadership positions.
Unlike some lawmakers who seek attention through theatrical moments or inflammatory rhetoric, Johnson has largely operated under the radar. However, he has been influential behind the scenes. In a New York Times article, Johnson was described as the “most important architect of the Electoral College objections” on January 6, 2021, which aimed to support former President Donald Trump’s disputed claims of election fraud.
Trump’s involvement is another wildcard in the speaker’s race. After Emmer won the nomination, Trump criticized him for voting to certify the 2020 election results, which drew the ire of Trump allies.
Before the voting process began, Johnson gained momentum when Republican Study Committee Chairman Kevin Hern dropped out and endorsed him. In the final round of voting, Johnson defeated Rep. Byron Donalds, a member of the Freedom Caucus and one of four Black Republicans in the House.
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