Republicans Stand Up For Speaker Johnson
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) has firmly expressed his support for Speaker Mike Johnson, emphasizing that the Louisiana Republican leader deserves to be re-elected as House Speaker after inheriting a situation of complete chaos.
In a recent interview on ABC’s This Week, Lawler was asked whether Speaker Johnson should and would be re-elected. His answer was clear: “Yes, and yes.” He explained that Johnson took over a leadership vacuum created by the removal of Speaker Kevin McCarthy in October 2023 — a move that Lawler described as “the single stupidest thing I’ve ever seen in politics.” Lawler was referencing the controversy sparked by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and other hardline Republicans, who teamed up with Democrats to oust McCarthy, leaving the House in disarray.
The ouster of McCarthy came after he made a strategic decision to avert a government shutdown by passing a temporary spending bill with Democratic support. While this deal angered the far-right wing of the GOP, Lawler believes it was a necessary move. He went on to argue that removing Johnson from office would be equally detrimental, warning that those pushing for his removal are “playing with fire.”
Lawler strongly defended Johnson’s conservative credentials, stating that the Louisiana Republican is “arguably the most conservative Speaker that’s ever been elected.” He also pointed out the critical importance of having a Speaker in place to get the House functioning, especially as the country faces major issues, including certifying President Trump’s election on January 6th. “Without a Speaker, nothing gets done,” Lawler stressed.
Despite his firm backing of Johnson, Lawler has occasionally disagreed with him on specific issues, such as the handling of government funding. He notably voiced concerns over the process behind a continuing resolution that was introduced by Johnson, which conservatives found troubling for not being more member-driven.
However, despite these differences, Lawler remains resolute that any disruption to Speaker Johnson’s leadership would only hinder the GOP’s ability to accomplish its goals and maintain party unity.
