Key Takeaways:
- The Republican Party has elected Mike Johnson as the next US House Speaker.
- The leadership vacuum was created after Kevin McCarthy’s ouster from the job three weeks back.
- Mike Johnson enjoys the support of Former US President Donald Trump.
YEREVAN (CoinChapter.com) — After running without an elected Speaker for almost 22 days, the US House of Representatives finally elected Mike Johnson of Louisiana to be Kevin McCarthy’s successor.
His election put an end to the leadership crisis that erupted on Oct. 3. A small group of Republicans led by Matt Gaetz ousted Kevin McCarthy with support from the Democratic party.
In what comes as a show of unity within the party, all 221 House Republicans voted for Johnson as the 56th Speaker in US history. To be elected, a member has to secure at least 217 votes.
“It is the honor of a lifetime to have been elected the 56th Speaker of the House…As Speaker, I will ensure the House delivers results and inspires change for the American people,”
Johnson said after winning the vote.
McCarthy also showed his support for Johnson following his impressive victory.
Donald Trump’s ally gets the Speaker’s gavel
Mike Johnson stepped up as the fourth Republican nominee for the Speaker’s role since McCarthy lost the gavel. A day before throwing his hat in the ring, House majority whip Tom Emmer tried to lobby his way to the top post.
However, former US President Donald Trump, who eyes re-election next year, effectively thwarted his chances. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, he urged Republicans not to vote for him. This came even though he had a majority of votes in the House Republican Conference meeting.
Calling him a “globalist Rhino,” Trump accused him of being a Republican in name only.
Trump’s post cost him the post, forcing him to drop out of the race. Earlier, the Republican strongman had backed House judiciary committee chair Jim Jordan for the post. However, he also later withdrew his nomination, as did House majority leader Steve Scalise,
Although with little experience compared to his predecessors and rival candidates, Johnson has been a local Trump ally. He particularly rose to fame after leading a group of 126 Republicans in an unsuccessful attempt to get the Supreme Court to overturn the 2020 President election results in states that Trump had lost.
Speaking after his election, Donald Trump called Johnson “a tremendous leader” who is going to “make us all proud”.
A tough road ahead for the new House Speaker
Although Mike Johnson has won the Speaker’s race, his troubles are just starting. He first entered the House in 2016 and is relatively new to the higher corridors of power. Kevin McCarthy, who had many years of experience, could not withstand the challenges of the post.
The Republicans hold a slim 212-211 majority in the House. Meanwhile, the Senate is controlled by the Democrats. With Joe Biden occupying the White House, he will have to collaborate with rivals to pass laws.
Moreover, Johnson will still have to deal with the demands of the hardliner Republicans that voted McCarthy out.
If he fails to cut Government spending and implement a stronger border policy, he may face impeachment like his predecessor.
He knows the challenges ahead and has already promised to implement changes in his tenure.
“The urgency of this moment demands bold, decisive action to restore trust, advance our legislative priorities, and demonstrate good governance… We will restore trust in this body. We will advance a comprehensive conservative policy agenda, combat the harmful policies of the Biden Administration, and support our allies abroad. And we will restore sanity to a government desperately in need of it,”
he promised.
With the US Presidential race nearing, the Republicans have to become more united if they hope to elect one of their own to the White House. Will Mike Johnson hold the gavel long enough? Time will tell.
