In a significant development, Representative Mike Johnson, who represents Louisiana’s 4th District and serves as the vice chair of the House GOP conference, has been named the GOP Speaker-Designate. This announcement came after a closed-door meeting among House Republicans, where Johnson emerged as the consensus candidate.
The race for the House Speaker position within the Republican Party took an unexpected turn when Tom Emmer from Minnesota abruptly withdrew his candidacy. This move came just hours after former President Donald Trump criticized Emmer on his social media platform, Truth Social. Emmer’s withdrawal opened the door for a new batch of GOP lawmakers to throw their hats into the ring.
Here is a preview of your potential next House Speaker grilling the daylights out of FBI Director Chris Wray on Big Tech censoring conservatives on social media.
Thoughts?pic.twitter.com/lhgrER6i0K
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) October 25, 2023
The final round of voting saw Johnson reportedly receiving 128 votes, with Rep. Byron Donalds getting 29. Johnson is now the fourth Speaker Designate for the House. The GOP members signaled their willingness to back Johnson for Speaker on the House floor, with only three members opting to vote “present.” Additionally, 22 members were absent from the vote.
Johnson, who has been a member of Congress since 2017, boasts a Liberty Score of 74%. He has a strong voting record and has played a key role in initiating the Texas Amicus Brief in 2020. He also voted against the certification of the 2020 election results, which he viewed as fraudulent. Johnson has been selective in supporting funding for Ukraine, only voting in favor of the initial funding bill.
THIS is @RepMikeJohnson the next #Speaker of OUR House 👏👏👏
Here he is running down Mayorkas on lies about free speech & censorship. He’s gonna rock the @HouseGOP 💥💥💥 pic.twitter.com/mjvurzddA9
— ♥️🇺🇸 𝓒𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓪 🇮🇹♥️ (@CB618444) October 25, 2023
A strong advocate for national security, Johnson backed Trump’s travel ban on countries considered to be hotbeds of terrorism. He also served on Trump’s legal defense team during both the 2019 and 2020 Senate impeachment trials. On the social front, Johnson is decidedly conservative. In 2022, he introduced the Stop the Sexualization of Children Act, aimed at preventing federally funded institutions from promoting the sexualization and transgenderization of children.
Johnson has also shown his mettle in standing up for President Trump, countering the Democrats’ unfounded impeachment charges. He grilled DHS Secretary Mayorkas on the topic of government censorship and the Missouri v. Biden case. Johnson also called the January 6 hearing a “third impeachment of Donald Trump.”
Johnson’s victory was met with widespread support from his GOP colleagues. Tweets from fellow Republicans like Rep. Elise Stefanik and Anna Paulina Luna expressed their congratulations and support for Johnson. The House GOP conference appeared united behind Johnson for House Speaker.
In conclusion, Mike Johnson’s appointment as the GOP Speaker-Designate is a testament to his strong leadership and commitment to conservative values. His track record in Congress and his unwavering support for national security and conservative social issues make him an ideal choice for this important role.
