In a puff profile on Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) from the Wall Street Journal, the embattled House Speaker complained at length about his job and “demurred” when asked if he wanted to keep it.
The Louisiana Republican, now nearly three years into his tenure as speaker, admitted he is under relentless pressure managing a fractious GOP caucus while fielding late-night calls from Donald Trump.
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“I’m like a triage surgeon in an active battlefield,” he said. “All I do is go from crisis to crisis, hemorrhaging wounds, all day long.”
The self-described “wartime speaker” painted a portrait of a man barely keeping his head above water.
His phone tells the story, the Journal reported; “1,477 unread text messages and 829 unlistened voicemails.”
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Johnson admitted he can’t keep pace with the constant demands, regularly missing critical personal news—including deaths of friends and loved ones—because he’s too overwhelmed to process incoming communications.
“I’m so sorry I did not see your six previous text messages,” Johnson said, describing conversations he’s had with people he failed to respond to in time. “I just happened to see this one. I love you.”
According to Beavers, “The speaker, 54 years old, who often casts struggles in terms of his Christian faith, said he wants to stay in the job if Republicans hold on to the majority and sees any possible challenge to the gavel as unlikely to succeed. He demurred when asked if he wants to remain the party’s leader if the GOP loses.”
The admission underscores the precarious position Republicans find themselves in heading into the midterm elections. Their speaker is already questioning whether the job is worth keeping—even before voters cast their ballots.
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