Three weeks and four nominees later we have a new Speaker of the House. Mike Johnson now holds the gavel for the Republican Party.

We got here after the Matt Gaetz Eight tossed Kevin McCarthy from the job. The Freedom Caucus exercised a lot of power.

Johnson himself voted against the continuing resolution to prevent a government shutdown. He voted against certifying the presidential election and rallied Republicans to try to overturn Joe Biden’s victory.

Democratic political consultant Kevin Perkins and former Rock Island County Republican Party Chair Bill Bloom return to discuss this with host Jim Niedelman.

“I think Johnson’s going to be good,” Bloom said. “He’s got the same conservative record that Jordan had.”

“This guy Johnson … we’ll have to wait and see if he is able to work across lines,” Perkins said. “I think this is a bad choice on their part.”

To hear more of our panelists’ thoughts, click on the video.

We want to hear from you, too, and that brings us to our question of the week: What do you think about the selection of Mike Johnson as the new Speaker of the House? Share your thoughts at 4therecord@whbf.com

Local 4 News, your local election headquarters, is proud to present 4 The Record, a weekly news and public affairs program focused on the issues important to you.  It’s a program unlike any other here in the Quad Cities. Tune in each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. as Jim Niedelman brings you up to speed on what’s happening in the political arena, from Springfield, Des Moines, Washington, D.C. and right here at home.