McCarthy after his historic ouster three weeks prior. Johnson, a strong supporter of former President Donald Trump and an advocate in the failed attempts to overturn the 2020 election, now leads the divided House Republican majority with the impending threat of a government shutdown on November 17. His election ended weeks of turmoil within the House, as Republicans struggled to unite behind a candidate after McCarthy’s ouster by hardline conservatives.
Johnson, a conservative from Louisiana with a relatively low national profile, was elected with 220 votes and no Republican defections. This unity among House Republicans came after several failed attempts to nominate a new speaker, with candidates such as Jim Jordan, Steve Scalise, and Tom Emmer falling short due to internal GOP opposition and, in Emmer’s case, criticism from Trump.
As speaker, Johnson faces a range of immediate challenges, including securing government funding to prevent a shutdown and addressing aid for Ukraine and Israel. While there is strong bipartisan support for aid to Israel, many House Republicans oppose additional assistance to Ukraine. Shortly after his election, the House passed a bipartisan resolution in support of Israel in its conflict with Hamas.
Johnson, who was first elected to Congress in 2016, has previously served as vice chair of the House Republican Conference. He supported objections to the Electoral College results certifying Joe Biden’s victory on January 6, 2021, and encouraged support for a Texas lawsuit aimed at overturning the election results. In his new role, Johnson has pledged an “aggressive schedule” to address the pressing issues facing Congress and to bring stability and productivity back to the House after weeks of division.