Power player shakeup: Here’s the new crop of conservative, faith-minded Republicans who have Speaker Mike Johnson’s ear
Mike Johnson’s ascent to the Speakership signaled the demise of the old guard in the House, with Kevin McCarthy’s political cronies fading into the background and a new generation of conservative leaders now listening to the Speaker.
Moving up five positions from the relatively unknown and idle role of conference vice-chairman to speaker, Johnson often said he felt like he was “drinking from Niagara Falls” as he learned the ins and outs of the job that put him second in line. presidency.
The new speaker’s inner circle of strong Christian conservatives and border security hawks is now more influential as they work together on the GOP’s top priorities.
These are the House Republicans Johnson is closest to and with whom he consults regularly as he leads the complex conference and 435-member body:
House Majority Whip Steve Scalise
As two lifelong Louisianans, the Speaker maintains close contact with his No. 2, Steve Scalise, a far cry from previous leadership dynamics.
The majority leader ran for Johnson’s current position before him, but failed to secure the votes needed to become speaker. Scalise has held his seat in the House of Representatives for 15 years and has been in power since 2014, when he first became the party whip.
McCarthy and Scalise had a notoriously tense relationship, with arguments that sometimes spilled over into the public eye.
“He’s close with his judicial colleagues, as well as the Louisiana delegation like Scalise, etc. He’s a strong man of faith, so he’s drawn to members like that,” said one source close to the speaker.
Members interested in interacting with the new speaker would benefit from attending the weekly Bible study he hosts on Capitol Hill.
As two lifelong Louisianans, the Speaker maintains close contact with his No. 2, Steve Scalise, a far cry from previous leadership dynamics.
House Budget Committee Chairman Jody Arrington
Johnson also regularly consults with two committee chairs, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and Rep. Jody Arrington, R-Texas.
The relationship between Arrington, the chairman of the Budget Committee, and McCarthy soured when the former speaker took the House GOP finance agenda into his own hands. That left Arrington and his budget plan for the next decade on the sidelines.
Johnson is known to have a close relationship with the Southern delegation, and he and Arrington came to Congress at the same time in 2016. Both are devout Christians and family men, and they were friends long before they became speakers.
Arrington himself considered entering the race for speaker – as did scores of other Republicans during three frantic weeks without a leader. He eventually gave it up and gave Johnson’s nomination speech to Republicans behind closed doors.
Energy and Commerce Board Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers
Rogers, chairwoman of the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee, also gave Johnson’s nomination speech to Republicans. She and Johnson became friends soon after he arrived in Congress in 2017, when she was chair of the Republican Party conference. When Johnson became vice chairman, he often turned to Rogers for advice on how to handle the role.
Meanwhile, McCarthy famously depended on members such as Rep. Patrick McHenry, R.N.C., chairman of the Financial Services Committee and speaker pro tempore after he was fired, and Garrett Graves, R-Louisiana, to cut deals and bring the conference into line. form.
Speaker Mike Johnson is close to Chairmen Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Jody Arrington.
Classmates, legal colleagues and southerners
The speaker has grown close to a number of other Southern Republicans who were freshmen at the same time as him, including Rep. Drew Ferguson, R-Ala., who is an ally of Scalise and served as the GOP’s top surrogate from 2018-2022.
He’s also close with Lance Gooden, whose birthday party he attended last week. Gooden, a Republican from Texas, took Johnson’s place on the Armed Services Committee when he became speaker and served together on the Judiciary Committee. Gooden’s wife is from Shreveport, Louisiana, Johnson’s hometown.
The two have been in “constant contact” over Biden’s impeachment inquiry, which is expected to receive full House approval this week.
The speaker became close with a number of other Southern Republicans who were freshmen at the same time as him, including Rep. Drew Ferguson, R-Ala.
He’s also close to Lance Gooden, whose birthday party he went to last week.
Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan
Johnson communicates frequently with top impeachment investigators, particularly House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio.
Jordan, like Scalise, also ran for speaker immediately before Johnson but failed to garner the votes needed to ascend to the leadership position.
But there is no animosity between them—in fact, Johnson was for a time a member of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, which Jordan is still a member of.
However, Jordan and other Republicans supporting the Freedom Caucus showed early signs of public discontent with Johnson over his actions to reauthorize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
“We just feel like he’s not listening,” one source associated with the Freedom Caucus told DailyMail.com.
But Jordan could potentially smooth things over as his relationship with Johnson has strengthened over their years of working together on the committee.
Biden’s other impeachment managers are House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., and Budget Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo.
House GOP Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik
In Johnson’s previous leadership position, vice chairman of the conference, he was Stefanik’s right-hand man.
Earlier this month, Stefanik showed Johnson around her home state. The pair raised more than $1.5 million – in a showcase of Johnson’s fundraising efforts on the New York battleground.
Last week, the couple also did a double interview on Fox and Friends, in which they talked about George Santos, impeachment and aid to Ukraine.