Former Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi launched a vicious attack on Republican Jim Jordan and called the chaotic attempts to elect a new Speaker “an assault on our democracy.” She followed those remarks saying Jim Jordan had also assaulted democracy on January 6, 2021. Jordan, a Trump supporter, failed on three occasions to secure the 217 votes needed to take the Speaker’s gavel, leaving the House GOP in temporary disarray.
The race to the Speaker’s chair started in early October when Floridian Rep. Matt Gaetz filed a motion to remove Kevin McCarthy after he rushed through legislation to avoid a government shutdown. McCarthy did not gain the concessions several Republicans sought, so Gaetz led a rebellion and ousted him. Patrick McHenry was temporarily in the chair, but House business virtually ground to a halt while a permanent replacement was found.
House Majority Steve Scalise won the initial GOP nomination but withdrew the following day, opening the door for Mr. Jordan, whose vote count fell on each of the three ballots. The process was made more contentious by accusations of strong-arming and even threats by Jordan supporters, which some GOP members claimed had backfired.
House Republicans put forward Rep. Mike Johnson, the House GOP conference vice chairman, on October 25, and he finished the ballot with 220 votes – elevating him to the role of Speaker.
Louisiana congressman Mike Johnson was elected to Congress in 2016 and is a Trump loyalist and staunch conservative. He served on Donald Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial and was unanimously elected as vice-chair of the Republican conference in 2021. Mr. Johnson describes himself as a “Christian, a husband, a father, a life-long conservative, constitutional law attorney, and a small business owner in that order.”
While serving as a state lawmaker in Louisiana, he firmly opposed gay marriage and defended the state’s anti-abortion laws. He also unapologetically opposes transgender surgeries for young people across America.
