On the eve of his big and unexpected day, Republican legislator Mike Johnson said that “democracy is complicated sometimes, but it is our system.”
Johnson, an evangelical Christian, had just been nominated for the presidency of the United States House of Representatives and his words sought to achieve something that had become a chimera: appeal to the unity of his people.
After three previous fiascos, this ultra-conservative united the rival factions within his party and was elected this Wednesday as speaker.
For many, the first House Speaker clearly from Donald Trump's MAGA movement. He is one of the conspirators who endorsed the lie of electoral theft, who refused to certify Joe Biden's victory and who was the main architect of the plan after the judicial lawsuit to invalidate the results in several states by replacing the electoral representatives chosen by others handpicked. He was also part of the defense team in the impeachment against Trump, who quickly congratulated him on the election.
“No,” President Biden responded when asked if he feared Johnson would again encourage his colleagues to deny his victory if he wins in 2024. “He can't do it. I'm not worried because after the election there were 60 lawsuits and in each case, the courts spoke and lost. “I understand the Constitution,” argued Biden, at a press conference at the White House.
The historical ridicule of conservatives, fatigue and frustration in portraying themselves to American society played in Johnson's favor. Even his voters were ashamed.
The rise of Mike Johnson, a little-known legislator from Louisiana since 2016, came to the rescue after 22 days of anxiety that began when eight far-right insurrectionists forced the fall of Kevin McCarthy. More than out of conviction, Johnson, 51, united the vote in the face of the collective disaster and the damage that the Republicans were causing to the country.
When questioned as soon as he picked up the gavel for his denial of Biden's victory in 2020, Johnson remained silent.
