Mike Johnson

Mike Johnson
Born	James Michael Johnson 30 1, 1972
Birthplace	Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Template:Flatlist
Known for	56th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
Education	Louisiana State University (J.D.)

James Michael Johnson (born January 30, 1972) 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 represents Louisiana's 4th congressional district and is currently in his fifth term in the U.S. House. Before his unexpected ascent to the speakership — one of the most dramatic leadership changes in modern congressional history — Johnson was a relatively low-profile member of the House Republican caucus, known primarily among colleagues and constituents in northwest Louisiana as an affable but firm social conservative with deep roots in evangelical Christian legal advocacy. Before entering Congress, he worked as an attorney in private practice and as a litigator for the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a conservative Christian legal organization. He also served on the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention from 2004 to 2012. Johnson chaired the Republican Study Committee, the largest caucus of conservatives in Congress, from 2019 to 2021, and served as vice chair of the House Republican Conference from 2021 to 2023. He was elected speaker on October 25, 2023, following the ouster of Kevin McCarthy, and was narrowly reelected to a full term as speaker in January 2025.

Early Life

James Michael Johnson was born on January 30, 1972, in Shreveport, Louisiana. He grew up in the Shreveport area in northwest Louisiana. Johnson's upbringing was shaped significantly by his family's Christian faith and by formative personal experiences. His father, a firefighter, was severely burned in a workplace accident when Johnson was young, an event that Johnson has described as deeply influential on his family life.

Johnson was raised in a Southern Baptist household, and his religious convictions would come to define much of his professional and political identity. He has spoken publicly about the centrality of his evangelical Christian faith in guiding his worldview and decision-making. His connection to the Southern Baptist tradition later led to his service on the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, where he served from 2004 to 2012.

Johnson grew up in modest circumstances. His family background and the challenges he witnessed during his father's recovery contributed to what associates and journalists have described as a disciplined and earnest personal character. By the time he reached adulthood, Johnson had committed himself to a career in law, drawn in particular to constitutional law and religious liberty litigation.

Education

Johnson attended Louisiana State University (LSU) for his undergraduate education and later enrolled at the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at LSU, where he earned his Juris Doctor degree. His legal education at LSU provided the foundation for a career that would span private practice, religious liberty advocacy, and ultimately public office. Johnson has identified his time at LSU's law school as instrumental in shaping his approach to constitutional interpretation and his interest in First Amendment jurisprudence.

Career

Legal Career

After earning his law degree, Johnson entered private legal practice in Louisiana. He worked as an attorney for several years, handling a variety of civil litigation matters. Johnson's legal career took on a more prominent ideological dimension when he began working with the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a conservative Christian legal advocacy organization based in Scottsdale, Arizona. The ADF describes itself as an organization dedicated to protecting religious liberty, the sanctity of life, and marriage and family. Through his work with the ADF, Johnson litigated cases involving religious expression, conscience protections, and opposition to same-sex marriage, among other issues.

Johnson was also involved in efforts to defend the teaching of intelligent design in public schools and to defend religious displays in public spaces. In one notable case, he worked on legal efforts related to the Ark Encounter, a Noah's Ark-themed attraction in Kentucky operated by the creationist organization Answers in Genesis, defending its eligibility for state tourism tax incentives.

During this period, Johnson also served on the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention from 2004 to 2012, an advisory body that addresses public policy from a Southern Baptist theological perspective. His legal career and advocacy work established him as a figure within the national network of conservative Christian legal organizations and laid the groundwork for his subsequent entry into elected politics.

Louisiana House of Representatives

Johnson's political career began in 2015, when he was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives. He ran as a conservative Republican in a district encompassing portions of northwest Louisiana. As a state legislator, Johnson focused on issues related to religious liberty, pro-life legislation, and fiscal conservatism. His time in the state legislature was relatively brief, lasting from 2015 to 2017, but it provided him with legislative experience and a base from which to launch a campaign for federal office.

U.S. House of Representatives

Johnson was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2016 to represent Louisiana's 4th congressional district, a predominantly rural and conservative district in the northwestern part of the state. He took office in January 2017.

In the House, Johnson quickly aligned himself with the most conservative elements of the Republican caucus. He was elected chair of the Republican Study Committee (RSC), the largest caucus of conservatives in Congress, serving in that role from January 2019 to January 2021. The RSC plays a significant role in shaping conservative policy proposals within the House Republican Conference, and Johnson's chairmanship elevated his profile among movement conservatives.

Following his tenure as RSC chair, Johnson was elected vice chair of the House Republican Conference in January 2021, serving under Conference Chair Elise Stefanik and House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy. He held this position until his election as speaker in October 2023.

Throughout his House tenure, Johnson established himself as a social conservative. He supported legislation to ban abortion nationwide and advocated for restrictions on transgender rights, religious liberty protections, and other priorities of the Christian conservative movement. He also took positions on fiscal policy that aligned with the conservative wing of the party, including support for balanced budget proposals and opposition to what he characterized as excessive government spending.

Contesting the 2020 Presidential Election

Johnson played a notable role in efforts to contest the results of the 2020 United States presidential election. He organized an amicus brief signed by more than 100 Republican members of Congress in support of a lawsuit filed by the state of Texas at the Supreme Court, which sought to overturn the election results in several swing states won by President-elect Joe Biden. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case.

On January 6, 2021, Johnson voted on the House floor to object to the certification of electoral votes from certain states, joining a group of Republican members who contested the election outcome. His involvement in these efforts became a subject of scrutiny following his election as speaker, with critics arguing that his actions undermined democratic norms, while supporters contended he was exercising legitimate legal and legislative prerogatives.

Election as Speaker of the House

On October 3, 2023, Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida introduced a motion to vacate the chair against Speaker Kevin McCarthy. The motion passed with support from eight Republicans and all voting Democrats, making McCarthy the first House speaker in American history to be removed by a vote of the chamber.

The ensuing speaker election proved chaotic and protracted. Over a period of approximately three weeks, the Republican Conference cycled through several candidates, including Steve Scalise, Jim Jordan, and Tom Emmer, none of whom were able to secure the 217 votes required on the House floor. The inability to elect a speaker paralyzed House operations, as no legislative business could be conducted without a presiding officer.

Johnson emerged as a consensus candidate in part because of his relatively low profile and his reputation as a collegial figure who had not accumulated significant political enemies within the conference. On October 25, 2023, the House Republican Conference nominated Johnson, and he was subsequently elected speaker on the House floor with the unanimous support of Republicans present, receiving 220 votes.

His election surprised many political observers. Johnson was described by multiple news outlets as one of the least well-known members ever to be elected speaker. At the time of his elevation, he had served fewer than seven years in Congress and had not held any of the senior leadership positions — such as majority leader or majority whip — that traditionally precede the speakership.

Evangelical conservatives expressed particular enthusiasm about Johnson's election. Organizations and leaders within the Christian conservative movement celebrated the elevation of one of their own to what is constitutionally the second-highest office in the line of presidential succession.

Speakership

As speaker, Johnson assumed leadership of a narrowly divided House Republican majority. He faced immediate challenges in managing a conference that included members from the far-right Freedom Caucus and more moderate Republicans, a dynamic that had contributed to McCarthy's ouster.

Johnson's speakership has been marked by a number of significant legislative and political episodes. In the 119th Congress, which convened in January 2025, Johnson was narrowly reelected as speaker, reflecting the continued difficulty of managing the slim Republican majority.

In February 2026, Johnson drew attention for his decision to deny a request for the late Reverend Jesse Jackson to lie in honor in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, citing precedent as the basis for the refusal. The decision was criticized by civil rights leaders, including Reverend Al Sharpton, who called the refusal "an insult to millions." Johnson's office maintained that the decision was based on existing protocols regarding who is eligible for the honor.

In his capacity as speaker, Johnson has also weighed in on questions regarding the scope of executive authority on trade policy. In February 2026, he stated that Congress was unlikely to find "consensus" to codify tariff actions taken by President Donald Trump through executive authority, effectively declining to assert congressional prerogatives on tariff legislation after a Supreme Court ruling on the matter.

Johnson also navigated internal party controversies during his speakership. In February 2026, when Republican Representative Tony Gonzales of Texas faced allegations of an extramarital affair with a former staffer, Johnson told Gonzales to address the allegations publicly but resisted calls from within his own party to pressure Gonzales to resign.

As speaker, Johnson has used the traditional prerogative of inviting guests to the State of the Union address. For the 2026 State of the Union, he invited the crew of NASA's Artemis II lunar mission as well as the family of slain Vivian, Louisiana, police officer Marc Brock.

Personal Life

Johnson is a member of the Southern Baptist Convention and has described his Christian faith as the central organizing principle of his life and political philosophy. He has stated that he consults the Bible when making policy decisions and has been open about his religious beliefs in public settings.

Johnson is married to Kelly Johnson, a licensed pastoral counselor. The couple has four children. The family resides in Benton, Louisiana, in the Shreveport metropolitan area.

Johnson's personal demeanor has been described by colleagues and journalists as low-key, polite, and affable, attributes that were frequently cited as factors in his ability to build consensus during the contentious 2023 speaker election when more prominent and polarizing candidates had failed.

Recognition

Johnson's election as the 56th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives on October 25, 2023, represented the most significant recognition of his political career, placing him second in the presidential line of succession behind the vice president.

His elevation was celebrated by evangelical Christian organizations and conservative advocacy groups. PBS NewsHour reported that evangelical conservatives "cheered one of their own" upon Johnson's assumption of the speakership, viewing it as a validation of the influence of the Christian conservative movement within the Republican Party. The Baptist Message, the news journal of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, highlighted Johnson's long-standing ties to the Southern Baptist community in its coverage of his election.

Johnson's rapid rise from a relatively obscure member of Congress to the speakership was itself a subject of extensive media coverage. Outlets including Reuters, Politico, Axios, Bloomberg, and the Shreveport Times published detailed profiles examining his background, legal career, legislative record, and ideological positions in the days following his election.

Within Louisiana, Johnson's election was treated as a significant event. WAFB, a Baton Rouge television station, highlighted his status as a two-time LSU alumnus in its coverage, and the Shreveport Times profiled him extensively as a local figure who had risen to national prominence.

Legacy

As an active political figure still serving in office, Johnson's long-term legacy remains a subject of ongoing development. However, several aspects of his career have already drawn significant attention from historians, political scientists, and commentators.

Johnson's election as speaker marked one of the most unusual leadership transitions in the history of the House of Representatives. He was the first speaker elected following the removal of a sitting speaker by a motion to vacate the chair since the rule enabling such motions had been rarely invoked. His path to the speakership — emerging as a consensus choice after several more prominent candidates failed — has been cited as illustrative of the internal dynamics of the Republican Party in the 2020s, in which no single faction held sufficient power to impose its preferred candidate.

Johnson is among the most ideologically conservative figures to hold the speakership in the modern era. Politico described him upon his election as "the House's most conservative" speaker, noting his record on social issues, his involvement in contesting the 2020 election results, and his deep ties to the evangelical Christian legal movement. His background as a religious liberty litigator, rather than as a career politician or legislative dealmaker, set him apart from most of his predecessors in the office.

His tenure as speaker has also highlighted the challenges of governing with a narrow majority in a deeply polarized political environment. The difficulties Johnson has faced in managing the competing demands of the House Republican Conference — from Freedom Caucus members seeking aggressive confrontation to more pragmatic members focused on governance — mirror broader tensions within the Republican Party during this period.