HOLLAND, Ohio — Wherever Speaker of the House Mike Johnson appears, Donald Trump’s shadow seems ever-present.
At a recent campaign event for a Republican candidate near Toledo, Johnson raised his cell phone to film, greeting Trump with, “Hey, Mr. President!” The crowd, filled with enthusiastic supporters at the county GOP office, cheered in unison, “Is President Trump going to win Ohio?”
As Johnson makes his rounds across the nation in a bid to secure the Republican majority in the House and his own position as speaker, he has forged a tighter alliance with Trump. This relationship has evolved from uncertainty to a mutually advantageous partnership. Johnson leans on Trump for his political survival amid an ever-changing House landscape while positioning himself as an ally, potentially ready to contest election outcomes. Trump hinted over the weekend that they have a “little secret” for victory, a statement Johnson did not deny, especially considering his previous support for a legal challenge to the 2020 election results.
With both the presidency and congressional control at stake, Johnson, who ascended to the speakership after Kevin McCarthy was ousted during a significant revolt from far-right members, finds himself in a vital position to influence various political outcomes.
Johnson shared with the media, “We’ve been working on this assumption all along that we have to make it ‘too big to rig.’” While he expressed confidence that Trump will reclaim the presidency, he added, “If not? We’ll sort it out. We’re going to follow all the way through.”
At 52, Johnson’s journey is noteworthy. The Louisiana-based lawyer, who is a champion of religious rights, was elected alongside Trump in 2016 and now holds the second position in presidential succession. His recent visit to Ohio was part of a larger tour, during which he has traversed 230 cities in 40 states, celebrating his first year as speaker.
Describing his collaboration with Trump, Johnson stated, “Trump is the head coach, and I’ll be the quarterback,” as the two strategize for an ambitious 100-day agenda that includes cutting taxes, securing the U.S. border, and reducing federal regulations, should they win both the White House and Congress.
Although he did not directly reference Heritage’s Project 2025, Johnson outlined plans to shift federal agencies out of Washington and refresh the federal workforce, highlighting think tanks such as the America First Policy Institute as sources for potential new recruits. “We’re going to be able to bring the federal government to heel,” he stated during an event near Akron.
Expressing the frequency of his discussions with Trump about future strategies, Johnson remarked, “He’s thinking big about his legacy, and big about what we can do.” When healthcare was discussed in Pennsylvania shortly after, Johnson declared, “No Obamacare,” though he later clarified his stance on not completely dismantling the Affordable Care Act, noting its deep integration in the healthcare system.
Even in Trump’s absence, the former president’s influence loomed large during Johnson’s campaign appearances. At a Saturday evening rally for GOP candidate Derek Merrin, who aims to unseat long-term Democratic Representative Marcy Kaptur, Johnson indicated that the district, which Trump had won in the last election, presents a crucial opportunity as they aim to fortify or expand the GOP’s slim House majority.
Under the bright lights of the Lucas County Republican Party office, Johnson shared anecdotes about his conversation with Trump regarding Merrin, playfully stating, “straight out of central casting,” which delighted the audience with his impression of the former president.
Calling himself a “wartime speaker” due to the various challenges he faces domestically and internationally, Johnson maintains a cheerful demeanor while framing the upcoming election in stark terms. “Right now we’re not in a battle anymore, just between R’s versus D’s, it’s deeper than that. We’re in a battle between two completely different visions,” he asserted.
“The foundation we are conserving is, first of all, the Judeo-Christian foundation of our country,” he proclaimed, eliciting applause from the crowd, to which someone shouted, “Amen!”
When pressed about how his faith influences his governance during a time of increasing Christian nationalism, Johnson dismissed the scrutiny as unfortunate, insisting he is no different from the leaders envisioned by the nation’s founders. “I think it’s comforting to know,” he said, that leaders “believe they answer to a higher power than just our civil institutions.”
The following morning, Johnson found himself at a brewery for a campaign event—his schedule had been altered to ensure he could arrive in New York City for Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden. At the event for Republican candidate Kevin Coughlin, who is contesting Democratic Representative Emilia Sykes in Akron, Johnson sought to rally support to strengthen the GOP’s numbers and ease the tensions within a tightly held House majority.
While he humorously acknowledged physical changes due to the demands of his role, stating he once was “four inches taller,” Johnson faces uncertainty regarding his support within his own party as House Republicans aim to maintain their majority, and dissenters from the far-right faction pose a challenge. However, when it comes down to the final decisions, Trump may hold the crucial sway.