The Missing Context Behind Speaker Johnson’s Staff Departures

(WASHINGTON, D.C.)—When three top aides to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson confirmed last week they are leaving his staff, prominent in the media coverage were descriptions of their departures as signs the Louisiana Republican was “reeling” from an “office exodus.” An influential congressional newsletter even opened one of its stories with the question: “Will the last one left turn off the lights?” What such coverage missed, however, was the fact that Mr. Johnson has maintained an unusually low staff turnover rate throughout his nearly eight years in Congress and is known for paying staff well. The median salary for a Johnson staffer is well above the House average....