The fourth time was the charm. After more than three weeks of chaos and divisions Republican Party after being fired Kevin McCarthy as speaker of the House of Representatives and to paralyze Congress between United States of AmericaConservatives finally united around a candidate this Wednesday. michael johnsonA little-known legislator from Louisiana who is deeply socially conservative and has a key role in his efforts donald trump to overturn the election victory Joe Biden He was elected ‘speaker’ in 2020.
The 51-year-old lawyer, who came to Congress in 2016, achieved what they could not. Steve Scalise, Jim Jordan none of them Tom Emmer, three other Republicans previously selected by the conference to run for office. It united the party, or at least enabled different factions to put aside their differences for now and put an end to the image of dysfunction they projected. And in one vote At the convention this Wednesday, Jordan’s fourth of the three votes he submitted (Scalise and Emmer didn’t even show up) received 209 Republican votes to 220 Republican votes. Hakeem JeffriesDemocratic minority leader. He did not vote against his own group.
By that same Wednesday, Johnson had received public support from Trump to ascend to the powerful position of second in line to the presidency and essential for trying to advance his conservative legislative agenda. And he is taking the reins at a critical moment: Budgets must be approved before November 17. state To avoid a partial executive shutdown, Congress must also decide on the aid Biden has so desperately requested. Israel when it comes Ukraine.
“Extreme carbon copy”
Johnson’s ascension is being checked by the Senate, as he has little legislative experience and has not had to work with the Senate so far. democrats and he turns his focus back to his own personality and past with the person he will now have to negotiate with. And Democrats denounced it as a “carbon copy of Maga extremism.”
This is in the Lower House Evangelical Christian 51 years old, radically opposes the right to life abortion, demonstrated his deep social conservative credentials. Last year, for example, he supported legislation proposing to veto talks on: sexual orientation anyone gender identity In any institution that has children under age 10 and receives federal funding.
It also looks at her deep relationship with Trump. Johnson was part of the former president’s defense team during his impeachment and was one of the architects of attempts to overturn the legal results of the election. presidential For example, he participated in the presentation of a case before the court. Supreme Court He tried to preserve recounts in key states won by Biden (the Supreme Court rejected the case).