Louisiana Republican Congressman Mike Johnson, elected Speaker of the House Wednesday, is described as “a deeply conservative but lesser-known leader” by the Associated Press and Greensboro, NC News & Record, and a look at his record shows him to be squarely on the side of the Second Amendment.
According to NBC News, Johnson voted against Joe Biden’s “modest new gun law,” and his voting record “has earned him a lifetime rating of 92% from the American Conservative Union and 90% from Heritage Action.”
In November 2017, Johnson co-sponsored H.R. 38, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, issuing the following statement: “The constitutional right to keep and bear arms should not be confined by state lines. Our legislation ensures that law-abiding citizens who obtain a concealed carry permit are not denied their rights when traveling to other states. I am a concealed carry permit holder myself and will continue to support measures in Congress that preserve the Second Amendment.”
Earlier this month, he met with representatives of Women for Gun Rights, formerly known as the D.C. Project, posting a message on “X” (formerly Twitter), in which he reported, “It was great to catch up with the Women for Gun Rights representatives today to discuss the safeguarding of our Second Amendment rights.”
While action on the House Floor is stalled, constituent groups are still meeting on the Hill.
It was great to catch up with the Women for Gun Rights representatives today to discuss the safeguarding of our Second Amendment rights. pic.twitter.com/0jCEPyy4F0
— Rep. Mike Johnson (@RepMikeJohnson) October 17, 2023
In July, he was among the sponsors of the Preserving Rights of Tenants by Ensuring Compliance to (PROTECT) the Second Amendment Act. According to an announcement from his office on July 25, this legislation “would secure the Second Amendment rights of Americans who live in rental properties whose landlords receive financial assistance from the federal government. More specifically, this proposal ensures that landlords and rental property managers cannot unlawfully restrict firearm ownership of tenants.
“Tenants’ Second Amendment rights should not be subject to the whims of a landlord or property manager, especially those receiving federal assistance,” Rep. Johnson said at the time. “I will always fight back against any effort to unlawfully restrict our constitutional rights.”
All of this suggests gun owners have a friend in Johnson, which may become more important in 2024 when gun rights versus gun control is destined to become part of the presidential and congressional election cycle.
The Waco Herald Tribune describes Johnson as “A lawyer specializing in constitutional issues.” He is conservative enough to have gained the support of maverick Republicans who have kept the House in what some have described as “chaos” over the past 20-plus days since Rep. Kevin McCarthy was ousted as speaker.
The Second Amendment has been under attack since Biden took office in January 2021. He famously declared during a CNN Townhall broadcast that he wants to prohibit the sale of not only modern semiautomatic rifles but also 9mm pistols, probably the two most popular firearms in the country. The Second Amendment Foundation has used the video clip of him saying so as the centerpiece in a series of television advertisements for more than a year.
According to Fox News, Johnson picked up the Speaker’s gavel with 220 votes over the 209 cast by lockstep Democrat for Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. If that vote signaled anything, it is that Democrats hold their ranks tight—much tighter than the majority Republicans—which could spell trouble for Johnson and his GOP caucus allies heading into 2024.
As reported Wednesday by TheGunMag.com, the three main contenders to replace the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein are all anti-gun California members of Congress. All three—Representatives Adam Schiff, Katie Porter and Barbara Lee—returned questionnaires to The Trace indicating they support so-called “universal background checks,” waiting periods on gun purchases, raising the minimum age for purchasing guns to 21 years, and support for a national “red flag” law.
While it may seem that gun rights and the Second Amendment remain intact on Capitol Hill, it is by the slimmest of margins, with Republicans controlling the House by a handful of votes, while the Senate remains under Democrat control.
Johnson was the fourth Republican nominee for the Speaker’s post. The Greensboro newspaper noted former President Donald Trump supports Johnson, which may, or may not, be to his advantage as the House gets back to doing the peoples’ business over the next few months.
About Dave Workman
Dave Workman is a senior editor at TheGunMag.com and Liberty Park Press, author of multiple books on the Right to Keep & Bear Arms, and formerly an NRA-certified firearms instructor.
