HOLLAND, Ohio (AP) 鈥 Wherever House Speaker Mike Johnson goes, Donald Trump, seemingly, is not far away.
At a campaign stop for a candidate outside of Toledo, Johnson held up his cell phone as he has a dozen times before, and started filming 鈥 鈥淗ey, Mr. President!鈥 The crowd at the county GOP headquarters a couple hundred people deep knew what to do next.
鈥淚s President Trump going to win Ohio?鈥 They roared.
As Johnson travels the country trying to save his majority, and his own job as speaker, he has linked ever more tightly to Trump, a once uncertain relationship that has become increasingly beneficial to both.
The speaker is relying on the former president for his own political survival , but also presenting himself as a partner to Trump, prepared to potentially , and, if Trump retakes the White House, deliver a MAGA agenda in Congress. Trump said over the weekend they have a 鈥渓ittle secret鈥 for winning, and Johnson, who to the 2020 election Trump lost, did not contradict him.
With the presidency and control of Congress at stake, Johnson, who in many ways is an accidental House speaker after taking over after was ejected in a historic far-right revolt, is uniquely positioned to play a central role in both outcomes.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been working on this assumption all along that we have to make it 鈥榯oo big to rig,鈥欌 鈥 and that鈥檚 not just a slogan,鈥 Johnson told The Associated Press between campaign stops in Ohio over the weekend.
If Trump wins, as Johnson expects he will, 鈥渢his will all be an afterthought.鈥
And if not?
鈥淲e鈥檒l sort it out. We鈥檙e going to follow all the way through.鈥
It鈥檚 a remarkable journey for Johnson, 52, a religious-rights lawyer from Louisiana, first elected alongside Trump in 2016 and now second in the line of succession to the presidency. He celebrated his first year on the job last week, before arriving in the Buckeye State, among 230 cities in 40 states he has visited since seizing the gavel.
To hear Johnson tell it, Trump "is the head coach" and 鈥淚'll be the quarterback,鈥 and together they are preparing to run the play on an 鈥渁mbitious鈥 with Republican senators 鈥 cutting taxes, securing the U.S. border and taking a 鈥漛low torch" to federal regulations 鈥 if they sweep the White House and Congress.
While Johnson did not call out Heritage鈥檚 , he did describe a detailed proposal to push the federal agencies out of Washington and restaff the federal workforce, pointing to the America First Policy Institute and other think tanks with their databases of potential new hires.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to be able to bring the federal government to heel,鈥 Johnson said near Akron.
Johnson said he and Trump talk all the time about the plans.
鈥淗e鈥檚 thinking big about his legacy,鈥 Johnson said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 thinking big about what we can do.鈥
When health care came up days later in Pennsylvania, the speaker said: 鈥淣o Obamacare鈥 鈥 though he clarified later he was not promising to do away with the Affordable Care Act, saying it was 鈥渄eeply ingrained鈥 in the health care system.
Trump loomed large in Johnson鈥檚 campaign stops, even in his absence.
At the Saturday evening event for Republican Derek Merrin who is challenging long-serving Democratic Rep. , Johnson said the district that Trump carried in the last election provides an opportunity as they work to preserve 鈥 or grow 鈥 the GOP's slim majority hold on the House.
Standing under the fluorescent lights inside the Lucas County Republican Party office, Johnson shared a story about how he was telling Trump what a great candidate Merrin would be 鈥 鈥渟traight out of central casting,鈥 he quipped, breaking into an impersonation of the former president 鈥 to the delight of the crowd.
Calling himself a 鈥渨artime speaker鈥 because of the challenges at home and abroad, Johnson presents himself as cheerful and self-effacing, even as he portrays the election in the most stark terms.
鈥淩ight now we鈥檙e not in a battle anymore, just between R鈥檚 versus D鈥檚, it's deeper than that. We鈥檙e in a battle right now between two completely different visions,鈥 he said.
鈥淲hat we鈥檙e conserving is, first of all, the Judeo Christian foundation of our country,鈥 he said to applause.
鈥淎men!鈥 shouted someone from the crowd.
Asked later about the role his faith plays in governing at a time of , he shrugged off the scrutiny as a sad thing, and said he's no different than the founders envisioned for the country's leaders.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 comforting to know," he said, that leaders 鈥渂elieve that they answer to a higher power than just our civil institutions, right?鈥
The next morning, Sunday, Johnson found himself at a brewery, of all places 鈥 the afternoon tailgate had to be rescheduled so he could make it to New York City on time to speak at Trump鈥檚 rally at Madison Square Garden.
Coffee, rather than brews, was flowing, as he stumped for Republican candidate Kevin Coughlin who is trying to unseat Democratic Rep. Emilia Sykes in the Akron area. Adding to the GOP ranks would give Johnson some relief from a turbulent House with its slim, difficult-to-govern majority.
Johnson, who is not a large man, joked that he used to be four inches taller, but 鈥渢he job beat me down.鈥
It鈥檚 likely, but not at all certain, that Johnson will have enough support from his own ranks to keep his job, if House Republicans retain the majority. There are dissenters, especially from the far-right flanks.
But in the end, Trump may have a final word.
