Who is Mike Johnson? New House speaker is a strong Trump ally and a quiet force among Republicans

By MARY CLARE JALONICK
Associated Press

A low-key lawmaker who has been in the House for less than a decade, new House Speaker Mike Johnson isn’t instantly recognizable to most Americans. But the social conservative and devoted ally of former President Donald Trump has been a quiet force within the Republican conference he now unexpectedly leads. Most important, he was able to get 220 votes to become speaker on the Senate floor — something none of his more well-known colleagues were able to do since Speaker Kevin McCarthy was suddenly ousted from his post three weeks ago. Republican conference chairwoman Elise Stefanik described Johnson as a “friend to all and an enemy to none.”