Mr. Speaker

Call it an October surprise. Seven months ago, Rep. Michael Johnson of Louisiana was elected Speaker of the House after an extremely rancorous Republican row. His immediate predecessor, long-time GOP powerbroker Kevin McCarthy, had been unceremoniously ousted. (Ironically, McCarthy’s contentious departure was a direct result of his having caved to the rule-changing demands of the lunatic wing of his caucus.) Why would any sane Republican want to sit in the speaker’s chair after having witnessed what that party had done not only to McCarthy, but also to John Boehner and Paul Ryan? Indeed, at the time of Johnson’s ascension, one wondered whether it was too charitable to characterize his victory as pyrrhic. The previous three Republican leaders appeared to spend much more time fighting with their GOP colleagues than they did with Democrats. Then again, the perks of being speaker are substantial, such as having a full security detail and doling out choice committee assignments. Plus, the only qualifications that Johnson needed for the role are 1) being a Trumper, 2) being hated less than better-known colleagues like fellow Louisianan Steve Scalise, and 3) having a pulse. (That last criterion might have been negotiable.) No one outside of, well, insiders...