Mike Johnson celebrates one full year as House Speaker with blueprint for next Congress

House Speaker Mike Johnson on Friday marked one year since replacing former Speaker Kevin McCarthy at the helm of the House, and has drafted a blueprint for the next Congress should Republicans own both chambers and the Oval Office.

Florida GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz orchestrated the ousting of McCarthy last year, after the Californian reached a deal with Democrats to keep the federal government funded without a government shutdown. Seven other Republicans and the Democrats helped pull off the removal, and Johnson was chosen as McCarthy's replacement after weeks of infighting.

Johnson said he has created a playbook that will help former President Donald Trump work with Congress in his second term, if he wins the White House next month. The playbook features GOP priorities like border security, and the economy.

“We’d be prepared to lead on Day One in the new Congress,” Johnson told the Washington Times. “I don’t think we can afford to change coaches or quarterbacks, and so I think what is going to be important for our success is continuity of leadership, and that’s what I’m going to offer.”

The Speaker said that securing the border is the first priority, and Trump would use executive orders to immediately crack down on illegal crossings at the southern border. The House would then pass legislation that would help bolster border security, such as the Secure the Border Act, which it passed last year.

The economy is the second priority, and plans include extending tax cuts that Trump passed in his first term and which expire in 2025, and making dramatic changes to the federal regulatory process. 

Johnson said he also expects Congress and the White House to make changes to the U.S. energy policies, including by reversing some of the Biden administration's policies.

Republicans are hoping to keep the House during the general election on Nov. 5, and flip the Senate. They are currently projected to flip the Senate, because they only need to flip two seats and are expected to win West Virginia and Montana. But the House is harder to predict. 

The presidential race is considered still too close to predict this far out, but it hinges on seven critical battleground states.

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.