Mike Johnson

James Michael "Mike" Johnson
56th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
Incumbent
Assumed office  October 25, 2023
Preceded by	Kevin McCarthy
U.S. Representative for Louisiana's 4th congressional district
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 3, 2017
Preceded by	John Fleming
Louisiana State Representative for District 8 (Bossier Parish)
In office February 22, 2015 – January 3, 2017
Preceded by	Jeff R. Thompson
Succeeded by	Raymond Crews
Born	January 30, 1972
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Kelly Lary Johnson
Children	Two sons and two daughters
Alma mater	Captain Shreve High School Louisiana State University LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center

Not to be confused with Michael T. Johnson, the Republican state representative from Rapides Parish, Louisiana.

James Michael Johnson, known as Mike Johnson (born January 30, 1972), is the 56th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, having won the position in a 220-209 special vote on October 25, 2023. He succeededs fellow Republican Kevin McCarthy of California, who was forced out of office earlier in the month by eight recalcitrant Republican who called for a vote of confidence in McCarthy. Johnson, a conservative, has been since 2017 the U.S. Representative for Louisiana's 4th congressional district, which encompasses Shreveport, Bossier City, and Minden and extends as far south as Natchitoches and DeRidder in Beauregard Parish just north of Lake Charles.

Prior to his election to Congress in 2016, Johnson, served from 2015 to 2017 in the Louisiana House of Representatives, to which he was unopposed in two elections. A Southern Baptist, he is a strong advocate for student-led prayer in public education, support for the Second Amendment right of individuals to own firearms, and opposition to abortion.

A Shreveport native, Johnson graduated from Captain Shreve High School, Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, and the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center. He is affiliated with the Council for National Policy, the National Rifle Association, the American Bar Association, and the Louisiana Family Forum. From 2004 to 2012, Johnson was a trustee of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission within the Southern Baptist Convention. He has experience as well as a radio talk host. He was engaged in the practice of law in Benton in Bossier Parish until his searing in to the congressional seat.

As a state lawmaker, Johnson proposed the Louisiana Marriage and Conscience Act, which had it been enacted would have prohibited state government from withholding a certificate, license, contract, or tax deduction based on an individual's views on traditional marriage. The measure failed in a state House committee when critics called it a ruse to discriminate against same-sex couples. Then Governor Bobby Jindal, who supported Johnson's measure, issued an executive order to implement the intent of the failed legislation.

On December 10, 2016, Johnson handily won a runoff election for the U.S. House seat by defeating a Shreveport Democratic attorney Marshall Jones, 87,369 votes (65 percent) to 46,578 (35 percent). Johnson carried all fifteen parishes in the district. His totals ranged from 78 percent in Bossier Parish but only 52 percent in his native neighboring Caddo Parish, the home of opponent Jones.

On April 8, 2018, Johnson joined Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry at meetings in Minden and Bossier City at which the two Republicans explained the First Amendment freedom of religion. Johnson and Landry said that many teachers and administrators misconstrue the student-initiated prayer and are often intimidated by atheist organizations that oppose prayer. Bossier Parish has been sued for allegedly permitting some educators to introduce religious themes into their lessons.

In the nonpartisan blanket primary held on November 6, 2018, Johnson defeated the Democrat Ryan Charles Trundle (born March 19, 1968), a graduate of the University of Wyoming at Laramie who has resided in Caddo Parish since 1998 and formerly lived in Eugene, Oregon. Trundle, who carried the official endorsement of the Louisiana Democratic Executive Committee, vowed not to accept campaign contributions. Trundle said that had he unseated Johnson, he would have strived to "create a government that works for all of us, not just the wealthy, with fair common-sense policies."

On December 18, 2020 the Washington Post, in an article entitled All The Republican Rats, depicted Rep. Mike Johnson as "subhuman vermin" not worthy of life because he opposed the election certification of Joe Biden.