Table Of Content
- Johnson says he's never voted against Ukraine aid. That's not what his record says.
- Avoiding a government shutdown
- His opposition to abortion and LGBTQ rights
- More from CBS News
- Rep. Mike Johnson has been elected speaker. Here's what to know
- House voting now to pass resolution in support of Israel in war against Hamas
Former President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, his social media site, early Wednesday to urge House Republicans to back Johnson for speaker, less than a day after he effectively derailed Majority Whip Tom Emmer's own bid for the gavel. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton had asked the Supreme Court to block "the use of unlawful election results without review and ratification by" the four state legislatures and allow them to appoint a different slate of presidential electors. Rep. Carlos Giménez of Florida, who supported McCarthy over Jordan, called Johnson a "straightforward leader" who can unite the Republican conference in a post to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. Gimenez, former chief of the City of Miami Fire Department, highlighted that both Johnson and McCarthy are the sons of firefighters. Rep. Elise Stefanik, the chair of the House Republican conference, will deliver the speech nominating Johnson for speaker, according to a Republican aide.
Johnson says he's never voted against Ukraine aid. That's not what his record says.
A single hearing has been held as part of the impeachment effort, by the House Oversight Committee in late September. During the proceeding, law professor Jonathan Turley, who was a witness for the GOP majority, said he did "not believe that the current evidence would support articles of impeachment." Johnson said lawmakers "have a duty to the American people to explain this to them so they understand it well, and we are going to establish a bipartisan debt commission to begin working on this crisis immediately." "We're in overtime right now, right? So you don't blame the backup quarterback for the failures of the guy that just came out of the game," Perry told reporters. "Even though we have real disagreements about important issues, there should be mutual effort to find common ground wherever we can," the president said.
Avoiding a government shutdown
He would work with newer members on the panel and use his expertise in constitutional law to advise on the best way to frame questions. Addressing the House after his election, Johnson repeatedly invoked his Christian faith and talked about his upbringing — his mother was 17 when he was born, he said, and his father was a firefighter who was injured in the line of duty. He promised to quickly move forward on conservative priorities like support for Israel and border security. Most importantly, he was able to get all of their 220 votes to become speaker on the House floor. That’s something none of his more well-known colleagues were able to do, as Republicans struggled for more than three weeks to pick a replacement for ousted Kevin McCarthy.
His opposition to abortion and LGBTQ rights
Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota declined Tuesday to say whether former President Donald Trump was a factor in his decision to end his bid for the speakership. Oklahoma Rep. Kevin Hern, the chairman of the Republican Study Committee, was initially included, but dropped out before voting began. Republicans held a candidate forum Tuesday night with five members vying to be the next speaker-designee after Emmer withdrew. Johnson won 128 votes, and Donalds received 29 votes, and there was a vote of "present." McCarthy, who was not a nominee, received 43 votes. Although Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was not in the running, he received more votes than Donalds in the final round. Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana won in a three-round vote late Tuesday to become the next speaker-designee — the fourth since Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California was ousted from the position on Oct. 3.
5 things to know on Mike Johnson, the new speaker of the House - NBC News
5 things to know on Mike Johnson, the new speaker of the House.
Posted: Wed, 25 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
More from CBS News
"The challenge before us is great, but the time for action is now and I will not let you down," Johnson said. In a statement distributed by the White House, President Biden and first lady Dr. Jill Biden extended their congratulations to Johnson, and the president reiterated his commitment to working with him "in good faith" for the American people. Washington — Rep. Mike Johnson, a Republican of Louisiana, won election as the new speaker of the House on Wednesday, ending three weeks of chaos since Rep. Kevin McCarthy's historic ouster. House Speaker Mike Johnson entered the speaker's office for the first time after being sworn in, with his new name plate hanging above the door. “I have never been comfortable with CRs (continuing resolutions), but it … is going to be difficult for Mike and anyone who steps into that job, but I think he is going to do a great job,” Rep. Eli Crane, a Republican, told CNN. President Joe Biden spoke with newly minted Speaker Mike Johnson to congratulate him on his win, the White House said.
Johnson says he "feels very good" about speaker vote
An attorney with a focus on constitutional law, Johnson joined a group of House Republicans in voting to sustain the objection to electoral votes on January 6, 2021. During Trump’s first impeachment trial in January 2020, Johnson, along with a group of other GOP lawmakers, served a largely ceremonial role in Trump’s Senate impeachment team. Speaking after the vote, Johnson vowed to hit the ground running and get the House back to work. Johnson, a little-known lawmaker who is now second in line for the presidency, attracted the support of all 220 Republican members in attendance, surpassing the 215-vote total that was required to win. Sources told CNN earlier Wednesday that there was a "big push" to bring the bill to the floor once the House elected a new speaker.
House GOP conference chair Elise Stefanik nominates Mike Johnson: "Today is the day we get this done"
After ousting McCarthy, House Republicans are stalemated over finding a new House speaker - PBS NewsHour
After ousting McCarthy, House Republicans are stalemated over finding a new House speaker.
Posted: Wed, 11 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
He said another stopgap measure — known as a continuing resolution — might be needed to prevent the Senate from "jam[ming] the House with a Christmas omnibus," referring to a consolidated spending bill. He said a continuing resolution could have a deadline of Jan. 15 or April 15, depending on the consensus in the GOP conference. The challenge for House Republicans is they still have eight more spending bills to pass including two that have been stuck in committee because of disagreements within GOP ranks. In his letter to colleagues, Johnson set out an aggressive time table for passing the bills, but the issue will be finding a way to pass the legislation in just a narrow GOP majority. The Senate and the White House are still controlled by Democrats and any spending bill passed will need Democratic support to become law and avert a shutdown. But what you hear from conservatives – at least in the minutes before and after Johnson won the speaker’s election – is they are willing to give some room for Johnson to maneuver in his new role.
Rep. Mike Johnson has been elected speaker. Here's what to know
Johnson has been a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump and was a key congressional figure in the failed efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Johnson was first elected to the House in 2016 and serves as vice chairman of the House Republican Conference, as well as GOP deputy whip, an assistant leadership role. Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart, another Scalise supporter, told reporters after Johnson was elected speaker-designate that he believes Republicans are "back" and the conference's agenda "back on track."
With less than seven years under his belt, Johnson has a shorter length of service in the House than past speakers in modern history. McCarthy was in the House for 16 years before he was elected speaker, Pelosi had 20 years of experience, Paul Ryan served for 16 years, and John Boehner had 20 years before he ascended to the top job. Wednesday morning, hours before an expected vote, Trump, the de facto leader of the Republican Party, said he wasn't technically endorsing Johnson but suggesting the House elect him.
Among the more conservative members of the GOP conference, Johnson has consistently opposed a woman’s right to abortion — “we will get the number of abortions to ZERO!! ” he posted on Twitter, now known as X, earlier this year, referencing the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision overturning the nationwide right to an abortion. He also opposed legislation last year that would require states to recognize same sex marriages that were legal where they were performed. “A friend to all and an enemy to none,” Republican conference chairwoman Elise Stefanik said when nominating Johnson ahead of the speaker vote Wednesday. "Mike is a titan on the [House] Judiciary Committee and a dedicated member of the House Armed Services Committee, and as vice chair of our conference, he has united all of our members to speak clearly and boldly on behalf of the American people," Stefanik said. "A friend to all and an enemy to none, Mike is strong, tough, and fair, and above all, Mike is kind."
Abortion rights proponents have noted his work from 2010 as a senior legal counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, citing a letter in which he fought to shut down an abortion clinic in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He unified the fractious Republican Conference, winning votes from right-wing detractors of McCarthy, R-Calif., as well as centrist Republicans who opposed Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio. WASHINGTON — Republicans elected a new speaker of the House on Wednesday in Rep. Mike Johnson, ending 22 days of a paralyzed chamber after a group of rebels overthrew Rep. Kevin McCarthy. Scalise had been the party's first nominee after McCarthy was ousted, but withdrew his name one day after winning the internal GOP vote.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A low-key lawmaker in Congress for less than a decade, new House Speaker Mike Johnson isn’t recognizable to most Americans. But the social conservative and devoted ally of former President Donald Trump has been a quiet force within the Republican conference he now unexpectedly leads. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy — who was ousted from the speakership earlier this month — voted for speaker designee Mike Johnson, resulting in applause from fellow Republican members. Critics have dubbed it a federal "don't say gay" measure and argued that it's aimed at barring references to LGBTQ people. Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas, who voted for Majority Leader Steve Scalise on each of the three ballots during House voting last week, said he plans to back Johnson when the lower chamber convenes to elect a new speaker. He accused GOP lawmakers of working to find a candidate for speaker who can pass their "extreme litmus test" opposing marriage equality, cutting Social Security and Medicare, and enacting nationwide restrictions on abortion.
"It's unsustainable. We have to get the country back on track. This is not going to be an easy task, and tough decisions will have to be made. But the consequences if we don't act now are unbearable," he said. Gaetz seemed receptive to Johnson's plan on Monday, calling it "quite attractive." The Florida Republican voted for Johnson in Wednesday's vote, along with all other Republican members. McCarthy also said he supported Johnson, as did moderates and far-right members across the spectrum. In one of his first gestures after his election, Johnson told Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries that he looked forward to working with him.
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