Mike Johnson elected next House speaker
After three weeks of House Republican infighting to select a new speaker to replace ousted U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), the GOP majority voted U.S.
Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) to take up the gavel Wednesday. Johnson, who received 220 votes, three more than required to be elected speaker, has a long record of opposition to LGBTQ equal rights and holds pro-life anti-choice views He is a longtime supporter of former President Donald Trump, who during the Capitol insurrection on Jan.
6, 2021, expressed solidarity with the rioters who invaded the building that morning and promised to take their efforts to Congress later in the day. “We must fight for election integrity, the constitution and the preservation of our republic!
It will be my honor to help lead that fight in the Congress today,” Johnson tweeted. Johnson led the amicus brief signed by more than 100 House Republicans in support of a lawsuit filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, seeking to invalidate the 2020 election results in four swing states won by President Joe Biden: Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
