For those of us who questioned how any Republican could get 217 votes to be Speaker, the mystery is solved.

First, you would need limited experience. Then, you would need to be a prominent election denier so that Trump wouldn’t get members to oppose you (see Tom Emmer and Steve Scalise). Additionally, you would need to be a vocal MAGA advocate.  Oh, and let’s not forget that you would need to not be hated.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, you would need to move forward when almost anyone would do.

Speaker Mike Johnson is less hated than Jim Jordan (a low bar) and, frankly, a Trump acolyte who didn’t do much of anything to get into conflict with his fellow Republicans.

Not exactly Sam Rayburn or Nicholas Longworth kind of stuff, but then I am betting they won’t name a building after him (they probably won’t name one for Kevin McCarthy either). I guess we have to be grateful for small favors these days.