In Brief: Who’s Speaker Mike Johnson? (with Annie Karni)
Nov 6, 2023
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New York Times congressional correspondent Annie Karni joins Preet to discuss Speaker Mike Johnson's chaotic rise to power, the state of the GOP and Congress, and his controversial views on abortion and homosexuality.
Mike Johnson's quick rise to power as House Speaker highlights the internal feuds and divisions within the Republican party.
Despite mixed reactions, Mike Johnson's opening moves to tailor legislation to unite the Republican conference have been well received, although he faces foreign policy disagreements with Senate Republicans.
Deep dives
Mike Johnson's Election as House Speaker
Mike Johnson, a staunch conservative and Trump ally, has recently been elected as the new House Speaker, making him the most powerful Republican lawmaker in Washington. Despite his lack of leadership experience and a powerful committee position, Johnson was able to secure support by being viewed as sufficiently conservative and not personally despised. His quick ascent to power highlights the internal feuds and bad blood within the Republican party, which hindered the success of other candidates. Johnson's role in the effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election and his strong conservative views on social issues, such as abortion and homosexuality, make him a divisive figure within and outside the party.
The Reception and Expectations of Mike Johnson's Speakership
Johnson's election as House Speaker has brought mixed reactions within the Republican party. Many Republicans are satisfied to have moved past the embarrassing and dysfunctional period of searching for a new speaker. Johnson's opening moves in tailoring legislation to keep the Republican conference united have been well received, especially by the far-right. However, his refusal to couple Israel aid with Ukraine aid shows a deep foreign policy disagreement with Senate Republicans, including Mitch McConnell. It remains to be seen how Johnson's leadership will fare and whether his close connection with Donald Trump will continue to shape the Republican party's agenda.
The Future of Other Republican Figures in the House
Despite the drama surrounding the speakership election, most Republican figures in the House continue to exist in the same positions. Matt Gaetz and Jim Jordan, who were at the center of the election controversy, remain influential in the party. The removal of Kevin McCarthy from power and the rise of Johnson as a hard-right Christian conservative have changed the dynamics within the party, but overall, the status quo remains. The future of Gaetz, Jordan, and other figures like Steve Scalise and Tom Emmer is largely unchanged, with no reshuffling of leadership positions. The drama may have subsided, but the divisions within the Republican party persist.
House Republicans finally elected a new speaker: Mike Johnson, a little-known representative from Louisiana. New York Times congressional correspondent Annie Karni joins Preet to discuss the Speaker’s chaotic rise to power, and what his election says about the state of the GOP and Congress.
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