Mike Johnson: Jim Jordan with a Jacket and a Smile?

MSNBC reporter Ali Vitali has dubbed Mike Johnson, the new Speaker of the House, “Jim Jordan with a jacket and a smile.”

Vitali says that Johnson is “working in lockstep on the same ideological and ethos ideas that people like Jim Jordan and Steve Scalise have been talking about over the course of the last several years.”

She also notes that Johnson refused to answer her own questions about whether he believes Biden was legitimately elected.

“January 6 and 2020 looms so large over this building every single day, and now you have someone in the presidential line of succession” who helped fuel the conspiracy theory that Biden “stole” the 2020 election, she said.

Vitali also points out that Johnson’s views on abortion, foreign policy, and other issues are further right than most Republicans.

“He’s third in line for the presidency and he doesn’t believe the current president is legally elected. … That’s kind of difficult to wrap your mind around,” she said.

So, what does this mean for the future of the House of Representatives? It’s still too early to say, but it’s clear that Mike Johnson is a very conservative leader who is not afraid to challenge the status quo.

Here’s some additional gossip:

• We hear that some moderate Republicans are privately worried about Johnson’s leadership, and that they’re trying to figure out how to keep him in check.
• There’s also talk that Johnson may be eyeing a run for president in 2024. If that’s the case, it would be a major shake-up of the Republican field.
• One thing is for sure: Mike Johnson is a man to watch. He’s a rising star in the Republican Party, and he’s sure to make a big impact in the years to come.