The new House speaker is as extreme as it gets

The MoJo Daily newsletter, Monday through Friday. [View in browser]( [Mother Jones Daily Newsletter](     October 26, 2023 The disarray over electing a new House speaker, historically one of the easiest tasks for a majority party, is finally over. But serious questions remain, especially after looking into Mike Johnson's record. That record, as I wrote today, features claims that legalizing gay marriage opens the door for "every deviant group" to seek equal protection, including people who want to marry their pets. Johnson is also staunchly anti-abortion, skeptical of climate change, and a Big Lie architect. In some instances, the Louisiana Republican has merged his extreme views, like when he [blamed abortion for forcing Republicans]( into pushing for cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. So, while the chaos over the speakership might be done, Johnson's elevation into one of the most powerful perches in US politics should deeply concern you right now. This is a man who has singular authority over what reaches the House floor and committee assignments, an evangelical Christian and MAGA dude second-in-line to the presidency. That such an extremist enjoyed a relatively low profile before this week also seems worrisome. But I guess that's more a reflection of how abhorrent the GOP has become over the last decade. What's extremist to one is simply par for the course for another. Or, in our case, the newest House speaker. —Inae Oh Advertisement [Subversive Seventies]( [Top Story] [Top Story]( [Mike Johnson Is as Extreme as It Gets]( With biographical details outlining the contours of MAGA Republicans at their worst, Johnson now wields immense power over what reaches the House floor. BY INAE OH MOJO MUST-READS BY MARK FOLLMAN   Trigger Points: Inside the Mission to Stop Mass Shootings in America The acclaimed debut book from journalist Mark Follman tells the story of a groundbreaking method that has prevented dozens of mass shootings—and offers hope for solving an ongoing national crisis. [Get Trigger Points here](. [Trending] [How "Stop the Steal" Republicans could take over Virginia]( BY ARI BERMAN   [When the judge refused to toss his case, Trump stormed out of court]( BY RUSS CHOMA   [Report: The GOP frontrunner for governor in North Carolina posted a lot of antisemitic stuff]( BY JULIANNE MCSHANE   [Pennsylvania frackers used 80,000 tons of secret chemicals over the past decade]( BY JON HURDLE Advertisement [Dancing with the Devil]( [Special Feature] [Special Feature]( [Stop messaging me, a Black journalist, about white Irish "slaves."]( A wide-ranging conversation about how white people became "white." BY GARRISON HAYES [Fiercely Independent] Support from readers allows Mother Jones to do journalism that doesn't just follow the pack. [Donate]( Did you enjoy this newsletter? Help us out by [forwarding]( it to a friend or sharing it on [Facebook]( and [Twitter](. [Mother Jones]( [Donate]( [Donate Monthly]( [Subscribe]( This message was sent to {EMAIL}. To change the messages you receive from us, you can [edit your email preferences]( or [unsubscribe from all mailings.]( For advertising opportunities see our online [media kit.]( Were you forwarded this email? [Sign up for Mother Jones' newsletters today.]( [www.MotherJones.com]( PO Box 8539, Big Sandy, TX 75755