Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.), a four-term congressman who has never chaired a committee, was elected speaker of the House with unanimous Republican support — achieving a feat that few thought possible.
Why it matters: Politics is personal. After 22 days of paralysis and three failed nominees, the only candidate capable of uniting House Republicans was one who apparently hasn't served long enough to make any enemies.
Democrats are already looking to newly elected Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) as a potential asset to damage Republicans in swing districts as the 2024 election approaches.
Why it matters: Johnson's lack of national name recognition makes him a blank slate among voters, which both parties are trying to use to their electoral advantage.
Driving the news: Bowman's office said Wednesday they had reached an agreement with the D.C. attorney general for the charges to be dropped in three months in exchange for a formal apology and a $1,000 fine.
The House on Wednesday voted to pass a resolution affirming U.S. support for Israel in its ongoing war with Hamas.
Why it matters: Coming on the heels of Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) ascension, the vote marks the first time the House has passed legislation in three weeks.
22 days of GOP infighting has left Congress with 22 days to fund the government — giving new House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) a narrow runway to manage the sequel to September's shutdown standoff.
Why it matters: That's far from the only challenge inherited by Johnson, a relatively obscure lawmaker who on Wednesday was elevated from the 211th most senior member of the House to second-in-line for the presidency.
The judge overseeing former President Trump's civil fraud trial in New York on Wednesday ordered him to pay $10,000 for violating his gag order — the second fine relating to the order he's faced in less than week.
Why it matters: Trump was ordered to testify on Wednesday after Judge Arthur Engoron questioned whether he violated his gag order by appearing to reference the judge's law clerk during remarks to reporters.
Venezuelans surpassed Mexicans as the largest single nationality attempting to cross the southern border without visas last month — marking yet another historic shift in migration trends.
Why it matters: President Biden has grappled with not only an overwhelming number of migrants and asylum seekers at the border, but also the complication of new demographics as instability across the Western Hemisphere worsens.
House Speaker Mike Johnson — elected on Wednesday after 22 days of chaos — is the least experienced representative to obtain the gavel in 140 years.
Why it matters: The fourth-term Louisianian's status as a relatively unknown figure outside Capitol Hill meant he had few enemies to derail his campaign.
President Biden said Wednesday he is alarmed by reports of "extremist settlers" attacking Palestinians in the occupied West Bank — attacks he said are "pouring gasoline on the fire" as U.S. and Israeli officials try to contain the war between Israel and Hamas.
Why it matters: Biden's remarks at the White House follow his private warnings to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the growing tension in the West Bank could escalate the already complicated war in Gaza, two U.S. officials briefed on the issue told Axios.
Former President Trump's civil fraud trial in New York on Wednesday saw the GOP presidential frontrunner turn up again, get fined $10,000 and come face to face with his onetime personal lawyer Michael Cohen for the first time in years.
The big picture: Trump's surprise appearance on the witness stand at the Manhattan courthouse coincided with Cohen's second day of testimony against his former boss.
The United States is experiencing a significant spike in antisemitic cases following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack in Israel, according to a new Anti-Defamation League report.
Driving the news: Early numbers from the ADL Center on Extremism show that reported incidents of harassment, vandalism and assault so far have increased by 388%over the same period last year.
Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) was elected speaker of the House on Wednesday after a 22-day deadlock that saw three previous Republican candidates nominated and then defeated on the House floor.
Why it matters: The four-term conservative is both short-tenured and little-known relative to others who have risen to the speakership, but he became a consensus choice inside a deeply divided Republican caucus over the past 24 hours. He'll now have to try to keep that caucus united behind him heading into some bruising legislative fights.
Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) won the floor vote for the House speaker gavel on Wednesday, ending the weeks of stalemate and failed nominations that followed the historic ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.)
Why it matters: Johnson managed to get members to rally around him as the GOP's consensus candidate, but he'll face multiple pressing challenges, including just weeks to pass legislation to keep the government open.
Scholastic apologized and reversed course on a recent decision to separate about 30 books on diverse topics in elementary school book fairs.
Why it matters: Scholastic's announcement came after its separate collection, which allowed schools to opt in, opt out or limit the books' inclusion at fairs, was criticized for being exclusionary.
Driving the news: Biden dangled high-level visits (including his own), military support and public backing to buy time in Gaza. He also made plain that America doesn't want Israel to act impulsively, or without considering U.S. concerns.
Nearly a quarter of Americans agree that "patriots may have to resort to violence in order to save our country" — the most in the nearly three years the question has been asked since Donald Trump's presidency, a new survey says.
Why it matters: The wide-ranging survey by Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) and the Brookings Institution sheds light on the religious, racial and political differences that are shaping America's increasingly tense politics.
Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy said Tuesday that he expects his campaign to deliver a "surprise result" during the Iowa caucuses in 2024.
Driving the news: "If not an outright victory, I think we have a good shot at an outright victory, something close to it," Ramaswamy told Axios during a sit-down interview. "A solid second or third in Iowa," he added.
House Republican Conference Vice Chair Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Tuesdaywon an internal vote to become the fourth GOP nominee for speaker since Oct. 11.
Why it matters: The House speaker vacancy has torpedoed Congress' ability to pass legislation during a period of global upheaval and as a federal funding deadline draws near.
