New House speaker has reputation for being a man of faith, family and conservative convictions

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Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana was a virtual unknown before he burst onto the national scene as House speaker.

Mr. Johnson, 51, has been a low-profile member during his six years in Congress. He is known for quoting Scripture and serving as a guidepost on constitutional issues.

On Wednesday, he was elevated to one of the highest positions of power in government in a whirlwind turn of events in a matter of hours.

A lawyer and constitutional law expert, he cultivated the respect of his colleagues while serving as chair of the conservative Republican Study Committee, the largest faction of House Republicans.

He won the No. 5 Republican leadership position, vice chair of the conference, two years ago.

After House Republicans batted down three other Republican nominees for speaker — Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana, Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio and Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota — they quickly united around Mr. Johnson on Tuesday night.

He was conservative and experienced enough, lawmakers said, and a fresh face to satisfy those in the party who were tired of the status quo.

Mr. Scalise said he has seen Mr. Johnson in action since his days in the Louisiana Legislature, where Mr. Johnson served from 2015 until 2017.

He said Mr. Johnson has long been driven by his commitment to service and his faith despite some mockery for his evangelical nature. 

“Those of us who have known Mike Johnson for a long time, and I’ve known him maybe longer than most, have seen a commitment, a self-service commitment to things bigger than himself,” Mr. Scalise said.

Fellow Louisiana Republican Rep. Clay Higgins joined Congress at the same time as Mr. Johnson in 2017. He told The Washington Times that the newly minted speaker of the House was quiet and unassuming, but people will become “deeply impressed” as they delve into his story.

“Somehow, man, he is precisely the constitutionalist-serving, child of God, deeply principled man that we need right now,” Mr. Higgins said.

Mr. Johnson hails from Shreveport, in the northwest corner of Louisiana. It is regionally known as the Ark-La-Tex for its distinction as the meeting point of the three corners of Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas.

Mr. Johnson, a father of four who has been married to his wife, Kelly, since 1999, is known for speaking about the importance of family.

His elevation to House speaker happened too suddenly for his wife to find a flight from Shreveport in time to watch him take the gavel.

In his inaugural address, Mr. Johnson spoke of his upbringing.

Mr. Johnson, the oldest of four children, said he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps. His father, James Patrick Johnson, was an assistant fire chief in Shreveport and was critically burned and disabled on the job.

“All I wanted to be when I grew up was chief of the fire department in Shreveport,” Mr. Johnson said.

Instead of running a fire station, Mr. Johnson is now in command of the House and is second in the presidential line of succession.

He was the first college graduate in his family and forged his career path as a lawyer for two decades with a focus on constitutional law. 

The lawmaker wore many hats before winning the speaker’s gavel. In addition to serving in the Louisiana Legislature, he hosted a conservative radio talk show and was a spokesman for religious liberty organizations.

Mr. Johnson is known in Congress as a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump. He publicly opposed the impeachment efforts against Mr. Trump and aligned himself with those who believe there were irregularities in the 2020 presidential election that unfairly favored Joseph R. Biden.

He voted against certifying the 2020 election and authored an amicus brief, along with 100 other conservative lawmakers, in a Texas lawsuit that sought to invalidate the results.

Conservatives were thrilled with Mr. Johnson’s election, but Democrats have assailed his position on the 2020 election and his opposition to gay marriage and abortion.

“The twice-impeached former president ordered House Republicans to stop Tom Emmer and elevate a top election denier,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, New York Democrat, said on X. “Is anyone surprised that they complied?”