But Republicans remain Divided And such a floor vote could jeopardize lawmakers in battleground districts who voted for Johnson and helped secure the Republican majority.
For some far-right social conservative groups, Expectations are high.
“Conservatives are relieved to see such a strong and courageous person in a position of authority who can actually do something to enact widely popular policies that push back against the Biden administration’s radical abortion and gender ideology.” ” said Roger Severino, Vice President of Domestic Policy at the Heritage Foundation.
Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project, a super PAC that funds anti-abortion and anti-transgender campaigns at the state level, agreed. “For a long time, social conservatives didn’t get a seat at the table. With Mike Johnson speaking, they’ll at least be able to listen to him, at least pitch ideas to him and get some input. . It’s very important.”
But in his first prime-time interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News last week, Johnson downplayed it. abortion restrictions.
“There is no national consensus” on abortion, he said.
Patrick Brown, a fellow at the conservative Ethics and Public Policy Center, said: political influence The rise in abortions is real, but conservatives should be confident that the new speaker won’t brush aside their concerns to strike a deal with the Senate or White House.
“This is just one chamber of a divided government. So the idea that he would come out and say, ‘We’re always working on abortion,’ is obviously not true.” I don’t think anyone would want him to do that,” Brown said.
“But when we talk about it, [appropriation] If you have someone who’s putting those priorities first, whether it’s a deal or whatever, you might be a little more willing to negotiate on some of the things that aren’t in that core bucket. ”
Johnson is one of them. the most culturally conservative Within a few years, an MP will be elected as chair. He honed his views as a former lawyer and spokesperson for the Alliance Defending Freedom, the powerful conservative legal group behind some states’ strict anti-abortion laws.
And he was not shy; faith-based approach To politics.
“I’m a Bible-believing Christian,” Johnson said in an interview with Hannity. “Pick up the Bible from the bookshelf and read it. That’s my worldview. That’s what I believe.”
