Key Factors
- Johnson would be the least skilled Home speaker in many years.
- Biden has congratulated Johnson and vowed to work with him.
- Democrats have blasted Johnson’s conservative stances on points like abortion and same-sex marriage.
US Consultant Mike Johnson has been elected by his fellow Republicans to function speaker of the Home of Representatives, after .
Listed here are 5 information concerning the fourth-term conservative lawmaker who’s now the highest Republican in Congress:
A life-long conservative
Johnson, 51, was born in Shreveport, Louisiana’s third largest metropolis, the oldest of 4 siblings and the son of a firefighter who was badly burned and disabled within the line of responsibility.
Previous to Congress, Johnson was a lawyer who primarily labored on spiritual freedom points, efficiently defending Louisiana’s same-sex marriage ban in 2004.
“I’m a Christian, a husband, a father, a life-long conservative, constitutional legislation legal professional and a small enterprise proprietor in that order,” he informed the Louisiana Baptist Message newspaper in 2016.
He was elected to the Louisiana statehouse in 2015 and ran for Congress efficiently in 2016. He now represents Louisiana’s fourth congressional district, which occupies the northwestern nook of the state and contains his hometown of Shreveport.
Opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion rights
Johnson has supported laws that bars gender-related surgical procedure and hormone remedy for transgender teenagers, prohibits masks mandates on aeroplanes, and tightens immigration and abortion restrictions.
He opposes same-sex marriage and launched a invoice in 2022 that will have banned US faculties from selling or discussing gender identification.
He opposes abortion rights, calling the a “nice, joyous event.”
Opposition to Ukraine assist
Johnson is against sending Ukraine assist to battle again . He acquired an F from the advocacy group Republicans for Ukraine, which compiles a report card for lawmakers on their help.
He must reply to Democratic President Joe Biden’s for assist to Israel, Ukraine and US border safety. Whereas Home Republicans broadly help funding for Israel and the US border, they’re divided over additional help for Ukraine.
Biden urged Johnson to maneuver rapidly on the funding bundle. “Despite the fact that we now have actual disagreements about necessary points, there needs to be mutual effort to search out frequent floor wherever we will,” he mentioned in an announcement.
As speaker, Mike Johnson must confront the identical challenges that felled Kevin McCarthy and stymied his would-be successors. Supply: Getty / Saul Loeb
No management expertise
Johnson served as chair of the conservative Republican Research Committee and was elected vice-chair of the convention, however in any other case has no management expertise — a possible hindrance as he enters into negotiations with the Democratic-controlled Senate and the White Home.
He additionally has to date proven restricted fundraising capacity, sometimes a key a part of the speaker’s function.
Trump supporter
Johnson is an avowed supporter of Trump, and was the ringleader of the greater than 100 Republicans who signed a authorized transient supporting a lawsuit in search of to .
Johnson was requested late on Tuesday concerning the submitting, which the Supreme Courtroom declined to adjudicate, however he merely replied “subsequent query” as his colleagues started jeering.
“I have never heard one damaging remark about him. Everyone likes him, he is revered by all … someone that is going to be actually spectacular and possibly for a few years to come back,” Trump mentioned forward of the vote.
Biden congratulated Johnson and vowed to work with him, including that the US now wanted “to maneuver swiftly to handle our nationwide safety wants and to keep away from a shutdown.”