Inside House Speaker Mike Johnson's Inner Circle: Senate Rebels, Trump Officials, and Veteran Aides
Mike Johnson, the newly elected Speaker of the House, has assembled an inner circle of trusted allies to help him navigate the challenges of leading the GOP in a divided government. His mentors include Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, both of whom ran for speaker themselves. Johnson also relies on Rep. Elise Stefanik, who played a key role in his election, and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, chairwoman of the influential Energy and Commerce Committee. In the Senate, Johnson has formed alliances with Sens. Mike Lee, Rick Scott, and Ron Johnson, who serve as liaisons between the new speaker and the Senate GOP Conference. Additionally, Johnson maintains close relationships with his fellow members of the class of 2016, including Reps. Drew Ferguson, Jodey Arrington, and Lloyd Smucker. Johnson's top staffers include former Trump officials Raj Shah and Chad Gilmartin, as well as veteran aides from his congressional office.