Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee told Newsmax on Thursday that new House Speaker Mike Johnson is "very open and sincere" about his faith in God, and he will be a "refreshing" change for Congress.
"He's a solid conservative," Huckabee said during an appearance on "Wake Up America." "He's a person of impeccable integrity. I think he's going to make a really wonderful speaker.
"I'm sorry this whole drama played out like it did. I think it was embarrassing for the Republicans in general, and for the House in particular. They blew the place up, but finally they got together and elected a speaker. A person of faith, somebody who is not so full of himself, and I think he's a great choice."
"I just love the fact that he's very open and sincere about his faith," he said. "It's genuine. The authenticity of his faith is something that just emanates from his every word, and I find that refreshing and I think it's a great fit for Congress. Lord knows we need some people of prayer there because we have some folks that I'm not sure have a prayer and this will be a welcome relief."
Huckabee said that Johnson's speech after winning the speakership Wednesday night was "heartfelt," and that "he came across with warmth and a sense of humility that is pretty rare in political circles anymore.
"And it wasn't all about himself; it was about the institution, it was about the mission," he said. "He just said the right things and had the right tone. He's also an incredibly articulate person. He has a voice that is warm and winsome. I just think he's a great choice, and I'm sorry it took so long to get there, but I'm glad we're there.
"I think Republicans in general, and I think Americans, are going to be pleased with the leadership of Mike Johnson."
Following his election, Johnson reportedly said that moving an Israel funding bill through the House will be at the top of his agenda. The former Arkansas governor said, "It's very important that the United States stand with Israel without any kind of equivocation" after the Oct. 7 terror attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
"What happened to them was nothing less than savagery, and it's an insult to the human race that Jews were targeted in a way that hasn't happened since the Holocaust," Huckabee said. "After that, we said, 'Never again.' We need to continue to say never again, and we need to stand with them and let Israel do what they have to do to get rid of Hamas once and for all."
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