How Mike Johnson went from ‘who?’ to House speaker

After three tumultuous weeks of stalemate and infighting, House Republicans ended their speakership saga Wednesday by elevating a relatively junior member with strong conservative bona fides, an amiable demeanor – and perhaps most important, few enemies.

Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson, now in his fourth term, is the least experienced member to become House speaker in more than 80 years. His election, after a historic impasse in which three other GOP nominees tried and failed to win the gavel, came with both a sense of relief and trepidation. The new speaker, who stands second in line to the presidency after the vice president, will immediately have to contend with a series of divisive and difficult issues. They include a Nov. 17 deadline for funding the government and aid packages for Ukraine and Israel.

While Republicans rallied around the bespectacled Louisianian,