‘Mike is a different cut’: 1,200 miles from Washington, friends and neighbors shed light on what drives the new Speaker of the House.
BENTON, La.—In the classic American film “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” an idealistic leader appointed to the U.S. Senate finds himself in a tangle of political corruption and intrigue as he struggles to do what’s best for the people.
Mr. Smith, played by actor Jimmy Stewart in the 1939 film, arrives at Congress from an unnamed Western state after the death of an incumbent senator. Initially, he’s unaware of the dishonest actions of some of his new congressional colleagues, and his inexperience leads the press to take advantage of him.
In the movie, Mr. Smith refuses to become corrupt, proving the importance of decency and honesty and driving home the idea that one person really can make a difference.
The film appears to be as relevant today as it was more than 80 years ago, a cautionary tale for politicians who believe that they can change what they see as a broken system.
Mike Johnson, the new speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from small-town America, appears to want to do just that.
Shaping a Speaker
To understand Mr. Johnson, one must look to the places that shaped him—his church and community.
God is loved in Louisiana. America is, too.
When people speak about Mr. Johnson in his hometown of Benton, their comments always weave back around to his faith, which was demonstrated to the world after he was elected House speaker.
“I want to tell all my colleagues here what I told the Republicans in that room last night,” Mr. Johnson said, addressing the House chamber after receiving the gavel on Oct. 25. “I don’t believe there are any coincidences in a matter like this. I believe that scripture—the Bible—is very clear that God is the one that raises up those in authority.”
Benton has a population of about 2,000 and serves as a bedroom community for the much larger nearby city of Shreveport.
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