Mike Johnson

Mike Johnson
Born	James Michael Johnson 30 1, 1972
Birthplace	Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, attorney
Known for	Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
Education	Louisiana State University (J.D.)

James Michael Johnson (born January 30, 1972), known as Mike Johnson, is an American attorney and politician serving as the 56th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives since October 2023. A member of the Republican Party, Johnson has represented Louisiana's 4th congressional district since 2017 and is currently in his fifth term in the U.S. House. Before entering politics, Johnson practiced law privately and worked as an attorney for the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian legal advocacy organization. He also served on the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention from 2004 to 2012. Johnson's ascent to the speakership came during a period of unusual turmoil in the House, after Kevin McCarthy was ousted from the position — the first such removal in American history. A relatively low-profile member of Congress at the time of his election as speaker, Johnson quickly became one of the most prominent figures in American politics. He was narrowly reelected to a full term as speaker in January 2025, consolidating his position as the leader of the House Republican Conference during a period of unified Republican government under President Donald Trump.

Early Life

Mike Johnson was born on January 30, 1972, in Shreveport, Louisiana. He grew up in the Shreveport area in northwest Louisiana, a region that would remain his home base throughout his legal and political career.

Johnson was raised in a Christian household and has spoken publicly about the formative role of his faith during his upbringing. He became closely involved with Southern Baptist churches and communities in Louisiana, and his religious convictions would later become a defining element of both his legal career and his political identity. When Johnson was eventually elected Speaker of the House, evangelical conservatives celebrated the selection of someone they considered one of their own.

Johnson's early years in Shreveport shaped his political outlook, which combined fiscal conservatism with strong social conservative positions rooted in his religious beliefs. He has described the Bible as a foundational text for his worldview and his approach to governance.

Education

Johnson attended Louisiana State University (LSU), where he completed his undergraduate studies. He went on to earn his Juris Doctor degree from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at LSU, the university's law school. His legal education at LSU provided the foundation for a career in constitutional law and religious liberty litigation that preceded his entry into electoral politics. When Johnson was elected Speaker of the House in October 2023, WAFB reported on his status as a "two-time LSU alumnus," highlighting the university's connection to one of the most powerful positions in the United States government.

Career

Legal Career

After completing his law degree, Johnson entered private legal practice in Louisiana. He developed a specialization in constitutional law, with a particular focus on cases involving religious liberty and First Amendment issues.

Johnson worked as an attorney for the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a conservative Christian legal advocacy organization that litigates cases related to religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and marriage and family issues. The ADF has been involved in numerous high-profile cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and federal courts across the country. Johnson's work with the ADF placed him at the intersection of law, religion, and public policy, and he became known in conservative legal circles for his advocacy on behalf of religious organizations and individuals.

In addition to his work with ADF, Johnson served on the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention from 2004 to 2012, further establishing his credentials within the evangelical Christian community. He was also involved in advocacy related to creationism and the debate over the teaching of evolution in public schools. In 2015, Reuters reported on Johnson's involvement in efforts supporting a creationist theme park attraction in Kentucky, illustrating his long-standing engagement with issues at the intersection of religion and public life.

Johnson's legal career gave him a profile among social conservatives and within the broader Republican activist network in Louisiana and nationally. His experience litigating constitutional cases informed his later legislative work and his stated commitment to originalist interpretations of the U.S. Constitution.

Louisiana State Legislature

Johnson's entry into electoral politics came in 2015, when he was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives. He ran as a conservative Republican in a district in northwest Louisiana, winning a special election. His time in the state legislature was brief, lasting from 2015 to 2017, but it served as a launching pad for his successful bid for the U.S. Congress.

During his tenure in the Louisiana House, Johnson focused on issues consistent with his legal background and conservative philosophy, including religious liberty protections and fiscal conservatism. The Shreveport Times noted at the time that the looming legislative session would leave lawmakers with limited room to maneuver on the state's budget.

U.S. House of Representatives

Johnson was first elected to represent Louisiana's 4th congressional district in 2016, succeeding John Fleming, who vacated the seat to run for the U.S. Senate. He took office in January 2017 and has been reelected in each subsequent election cycle.

In Congress, Johnson established himself as a staunch conservative. He joined the Republican Study Committee (RSC), the largest caucus of conservatives in the House, and rose through its ranks. He chaired the RSC from January 2019 to January 2021, a position that gave him a platform to influence conservative policy priorities and build relationships across the Republican conference.

Following his tenure as RSC chair, Johnson was elected vice chair of the House Republican Conference in January 2021, serving in that role until his election as speaker in October 2023. As vice chair, he served under Conference Chair Elise Stefanik and House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, helping to coordinate messaging and strategy for the Republican caucus.

Johnson was a prominent supporter of efforts to contest the results of the 2020 presidential election. He contested the results both on the House floor and in court, lending his legal expertise to challenges to the certification of electoral votes from several states. He played a role in organizing an amicus brief signed by more than 100 House Republicans in support of a lawsuit filed by the state of Texas seeking to overturn the election results in several battleground states.

On social issues, Johnson has been one of the more conservative members of Congress. He supported legislation to ban abortion nationwide and has been a vocal opponent of same-sex marriage and LGBTQ rights. The New Republic reported that Johnson had made public statements describing LGBTQ identities as "destructive," remarks that drew renewed attention upon his elevation to the speakership. His positions on these issues aligned him with the evangelical Christian base of the Republican Party and were consistent with his prior legal work at the Alliance Defending Freedom.

Election as Speaker of the House

On October 3, 2023, Kevin McCarthy was removed from the speakership in a historic vote — the first time a sitting Speaker of the House had been ousted through a motion to vacate the chair. The vote was initiated by Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida and supported by a small group of Republican members, along with all House Democrats.

The weeks that followed were marked by an extended and chaotic search for a new speaker. Several Republican candidates were nominated and failed to secure enough support, including Steve Scalise, Jim Jordan, and Tom Emmer. The inability to elect a speaker left the House paralyzed, unable to conduct legislative business during a period of significant national and international challenges.

Johnson emerged as a consensus candidate on October 24, 2023, after the conference's previous choices had failed to unite the fractious Republican majority. He was seen as a conservative member who had avoided making personal enemies within the conference, and his relatively low public profile was considered an asset after weeks of divisive internal battles.

On October 25, 2023, Johnson was elected Speaker of the House by a vote of the full chamber. He received unanimous support from House Republicans, a striking achievement given the divisions that had prevented his predecessors as nominee from reaching the 217-vote threshold. At the time of his election, Johnson was one of the least well-known members to assume the speakership in modern American history. Axios described him as a relatively obscure figure even among political insiders, noting that his selection surprised many observers.

Upon taking the gavel, Johnson became second in the presidential line of succession, behind only the Vice President. His elevation was celebrated by evangelical conservatives, who viewed him as a champion of their values in one of the most powerful positions in the federal government.

Speakership

As Speaker, Johnson faced the immediate challenge of governing with a narrow Republican majority in the House during the final year of the Biden administration. He navigated several significant legislative and fiscal challenges, including the passage of government funding measures and debates over aid to Ukraine and Israel.

Johnson was narrowly reelected as Speaker in January 2025 at the start of the 119th United States Congress, following the Republican Party's retention of its House majority in the 2024 elections. His reelection was not without difficulty, reflecting the thin margins and internal divisions that have characterized the House Republican conference.

In his second term as speaker, Johnson has continued to manage a closely divided Republican conference during a period of unified Republican control of the federal government under President Donald Trump. He has been involved in mediating between different factions of the party on issues including government spending, immigration policy, and trade.

In February 2026, Johnson made headlines for stating that Congress was unlikely to find "consensus" to codify President Trump's tariff policies through legislation, following a Supreme Court ruling on the matter. His remarks reflected the complexities of navigating trade policy within a Republican conference that includes both free-trade advocates and supporters of Trump's protectionist approach.

Also in February 2026, Johnson declined to call for the resignation of Representative Tony Gonzales of Texas amid allegations that Gonzales had an extramarital affair with a former staffer. Johnson stated that Gonzales should address the allegations publicly but stopped short of demanding his resignation, a stance that drew both support and criticism from within the Republican conference.

Johnson's office denied a request to allow the late Reverend Jesse Jackson to lie in honor in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, citing precedent. The decision was criticized by Reverend Al Sharpton, who called it "an insult to millions."

Ahead of the 2026 State of the Union address, Johnson invited the crew of NASA's Artemis II lunar mission as his guests, along with the family of slain Vivian, Louisiana, police officer Marc Brock.

Foreign Policy

As Speaker, Johnson has engaged with foreign leaders on matters of international significance. In December 2024, Johnson spoke with the president of Taiwan, a conversation that was reported by Reuters and that underscored the Speaker's role in U.S. foreign policy signaling, particularly with respect to the U.S.-China-Taiwan dynamic.

Personal Life

Mike Johnson has been open about the central role of his Christian faith in both his personal and professional life. He is a member of a Southern Baptist church in the Shreveport, Louisiana, area. His religious convictions have informed his legal work, his legislative priorities, and his public statements throughout his career.

Johnson is married to Kelly Johnson. The couple has children, and the family resides in Louisiana.

Colleagues and observers in Louisiana have described Johnson as affable and personable. The Rhode Island Current, reporting on his election as speaker, described him as known at home as an "affable conservative stalwart."

Recognition

Johnson's election as Speaker of the House in October 2023 brought him immediate national and international attention. Prior to his election as speaker, he was not a widely known figure outside of conservative policy circles and his home state of Louisiana.

His elevation to the speakership was particularly noted by evangelical Christian organizations and media outlets. The Baptist Message, the official news publication of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, highlighted Johnson's faith and his long involvement with Baptist institutions in its coverage of his election. PBS NewsHour reported that evangelical conservatives celebrated the elevation of "one of their own" to the speaker's chair, noting that Johnson's selection represented a significant moment for the religious conservative movement within the Republican Party.

Politico published an extensive profile detailing "55 things to know" about Johnson shortly after his election, reflecting the intense public interest in a figure who had risen rapidly from relative obscurity to one of the most powerful offices in the country. Encyclopædia Britannica added a biographical entry for Johnson following his selection as speaker.

Legacy

As of early 2026, Johnson's legacy continues to take shape. His selection as speaker marked the resolution of an unprecedented crisis in House leadership — the first removal of a sitting speaker through a motion to vacate the chair. Johnson's ability to unite a fractious Republican conference behind his candidacy, after multiple other nominees had failed, was noted by political observers as a significant achievement in itself.

Johnson's speakership has placed a figure with deep roots in the conservative Christian legal movement at the helm of the House during a consequential period in American governance. His background as a constitutional litigator and religious liberty advocate distinguishes him from many of his predecessors in the role and reflects the growing influence of evangelical conservatism within the Republican Party.

His tenure as speaker has been characterized by the challenges of managing a narrow Republican majority, balancing competing factions within the conference, and navigating the relationship between Congress and the executive branch during a period of unified Republican government. How Johnson's speakership will ultimately be assessed depends on the legislative outcomes achieved during his time in the chair and the degree to which he is able to maintain the cohesion of the House Republican Conference.