One day after I started my new gig as a political reporter at National Review on October 2, 2023, eight House Republicans joined a united Democratic caucus in ousting Kevin McCarthy from the speakership. Read my story from last year cataloguing how the low-profile Louisiana became the GOP’s unlikely speaker three weeks later — or one year ago yesterday!
Last spring, Johnson successfully batted away some verbal threats to his speakership that never materialized into an actual snap vote on the House floor. If Republicans lose the House and the gavel swings back to Democrats, the House GOP could have a different kind of leadership fight on its hands. Check out my recent story on the ever-ambitious Judiciary chairman Jim Jordan and the potential leadership challenge he may launch against current Majority Leader Steve Scalise for the House GOP’s top post if Republicans lose the majority.