𝙒𝙃𝘼𝙏 𝘿𝙊𝙀𝙎 𝙍𝙀𝙋. 𝙈𝙄𝙆𝙀 𝙅𝙊𝙃𝙉𝙎𝙊𝙉'𝙎 𝙀𝙇𝙀𝘾𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉 𝘼𝙎 𝙎𝙋𝙀𝘼𝙆𝙀𝙍 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙃𝙊𝙐𝙎𝙀 𝘼𝘾𝙏𝙐𝘼𝙇𝙇𝙔 𝙈𝙀𝘼𝙉?

 

What does Rep. Mike Johnson's election as Speaker of the House mean for the Republican Party going forward?

Who or what is the largely unknown 51 year old congressman from Louisiana?

Well, for one, he's an 2020 election denier and a supporter of the January 6 insurrection.

No, Johnson did not actually enter the capital on that fateful day, break glass, overturn desks or attack police officers, but he was clearly seen on video just outside wearing a red MAGA cap.

Johnson was also the primary signatory in an Amicas Brief filed in the State of Texas to overturn the results of the 2020 election, disputing the results in four swing states: Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.  

The brief's title page was introduced by "Representative Mike Johnson and 125 other Republican members of the House of Representatives."

7 such representatives were named as Amici Curiae or "Friends of the Court," that is, folk with no legal standing, but keen interest.  Among those 7 were Representatives Kevin McCarthy, Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan.

Filing that brief, Johnson was in constant contact and consultation with Donald J. Trump, who told Johnson that he'd pay particular attention to see "those who actually sign the brief."

The Supreme Court threw out that brief, stating, among other things that the State of Texas had no relevance with regard to election rules in other states.

So, what is the significance of a relatively unknown representative, the most pro-Trump of the House, being named Speaker?

Johnson's election as Speaker demonstrates beyond doubt that the 435 member House of Representatives is under the control of its right wing faction.

Moderate Republicans have no place, no standing, no influence in today's G.O.P.

The Republican Party is no longer the abode nor reflective of the conservative principles of Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, George Herbert Walker Bush or Howard Baker.

The U.S. House of Representatives is now under the control of the Marjorie Taylor Greene, Jim Jordan and Mike Johnson ilk, all acutely infected with Trumpism.