Diet Jim Jordan Becomes New House Speaker

The Hill

After 22 days replete with public embarrassments, the House Republican conference has finally anointed a new Speaker: Mike Johnson, a relatively obscure extremist from Louisiana.

Johnson’s troublesome record and rhetoric are detailed elsewhere, but suffice it to say that he has more in common with Jim Jordan than his presentation suggests.

Unlike Jordan or McCarthy before them, Johnson was able to secure the necessary votes on the floor of the House in a single attempt, defeating Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries 220-207.

There were no “present” or protest votes.

Previous Republican holdouts such as Don Bacon and Ken Buck dutifully set principle aside for partisan loyalty to vote in line with their caucus. Both had previously indicated they wouldn’t support political extremists or those who denied the outcome of the 2020 election. By voting for Johnson, they betrayed that commitment.

What proceeds from this important development remains to be seen.

Democrats control the Senate and the White House, meaning any attempt by Johnson and House Republicans to legislate a radically conservative agenda is dead on arrival.

On the other hand, they might trigger a government shutdown when the continuing resolution expires on November 17th—such a move seems commensurate with Johnson’s quiet radicalism.

Yet historically, the GOP has borne the brunt of public backlash for triggering government shutdowns, as less-extreme-but-not-quite-moderate Republicans may remind their more radical colleagues.

Either way, their support of Johnson has likely put the 18 Republicans in swing districts which voted for President Biden in serious political peril, and Democrats would be wise to target them accordingly.