New House speaker Mike Johnson signals willingness to continue Biden impeachment

Good morning, US politics blog readers. In his first major interview since winning election as speaker of the House, Louisiana Republican Mike Johnson both made clear that the conservative ideology he embraced throughout his six years in office has not changed, while also avoiding weighing in one some of the most controversial issues before him. Speaking to conservative Fox News commentator Sean Hannity, he declined to reiterate his attacks on same-sex marriage, nor elaborate on if he would push for a national ban on abortion.

But there was one topic on which Johnson did not hold back, perhaps because it’s not particularly controversial among Republicans: Joe Biden. “I think it’s been a failed presidency,” he said, and repeated the familiar allegation that the president is suffering from cognitive decline. The speaker also said it was “very likely” the ongoing impeachment inquiry into the president, which centers into long-running and still-unverified corruption allegations regarding his son Hunter Biden, will turn up offenses worth of bringing charges. It was as sure a sign as any that the divisive and almost certainly quixotic effort will continue in the months to come.

Here’s what else we expect to happen today.

Dean Phillips, a Democratic congressman from Minnesota, is launching a presidential campaign aimed at challenging Biden for the party’s nomination.
GOP bigshots are converging on Las Vegas for the kickoff of the Republican Jewish Coalition Annual Leadership Summit. Today’s speakers include Arkansas governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, senators Rick Scott and Lindsey Graham and the Nevada’s own governor, Joe Lombardo.
George Santos, the Republican congressman and admitted fabulist, is expected to enter a not guilty plea to 10 new federal charges in court today.

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Here’s what else we expect to happen today.

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Dean Phillips, a Democratic congressman from Minnesota, is launching a presidential campaign aimed at challenging Biden for the party’s nomination.

GOP bigshots are converging on Las Vegas for the kickoff of the Republican Jewish Coalition Annual Leadership Summit. Today’s speakers include Arkansas governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, senators Rick Scott and Lindsey Graham and the Nevada’s own governor, Joe Lombardo.

George Santos, the Republican congressman and admitted fabulist, is expected to enter a not guilty plea to 10 new federal charges in court today.

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Key events

In his previous life as an attorney for what is now called the Alliance Defending Freedom, speaker of the House Mike Johnson was much more open about what he thought about same-sex marriage:

Mike Johnson, calling to ban same-sex marriage: If you change the definition of marriage, then you open the floodgates for chaos and sexual anarchy pic.twitter.com/DdALk3Xq9A

— Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) October 26, 2023

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Mike Johnson, calling to ban same-sex marriage: If you change the definition of marriage, then you open the floodgates for chaos and sexual anarchy pic.twitter.com/DdALk3Xq9A

— Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) October 26, 2023

It’s no surprise these comments are being promoted by Joe Biden’s re-election campaign. Democrats are seizing on his rise to power to argue the GOP is too extreme to govern, and will press that message further next year.

Mike Johnson’s interview on Fox News was as notable for what he said as for what he didn’t say. He has been outspoken against gay marriage before – and we’ll get to that shortly on this blog – but as the Guardian’s Martin Pengelly reports, declined to reiterate those attacks in last night’s interview:

Questioned about comments and actions deemed by many to be homophobic, the new Republican US House speaker, Mike Johnson of Louisiana, told Fox News his worldview was: “Go pick up a Bible.”

Speaking on Thursday, Johnson said he “genuinely love[d] all people regardless of their lifestyle choices.

“This is not about the people themselves. I am a Bible-believing Christian. Someone asked me today in the media, they said, ‘… People are curious. What does Mike Johnson think about any issue under the sun?’ I said, well, go pick up a Bible off your shelf and read it – that’s my worldview. That’s what I believe and so I make no apologies for it.”

Johnson added: “That’s my personal worldview.”