The 2026 Midterms: Speaker Mike Johnson’s religious rhetoric will continue to shape how Republicans speak to their constituents

As the Republican Party leader in the US House of Representatives, Speaker Mike Johnson holds considerable political and procedural power. Alena Smith and Julianna J. Thomson look at another type of power held by party leaders in Congress - the power to shape the moral and cultural tone of political communication. They find that following Johnson’s ascent to the speakership in October 2023 Republicans’ e-newsletters to their constituents became notably more religious in their tone. They comment that as we move towards the 2026 midterms, religious rhetoric will likely remain part of the political toolkit, especially for Republicans seeking to mobilize evangelical and culturally conservative voters.

The London School of Economics and Political Science - USAPP