Speaker Johnson taps veteran GOP operative as chief spokesperson

Speaker Mike Johnson has tapped veteran Republican operative Raj Shah to build and oversee his communications operation, according to a person familiar with the move.

Shah is expected to serve as Johnson’s deputy chief of staff for communications, where he will, among other things, help run messaging for House Republicans.

Shah previously spent four years as senior vice president for public affairs at Fox Corporation. Before that, he served as a top communications official in the Trump White House, and was research director at the Republican National Committee during the 2016 campaign.

Johnson has steadily built out his team since being elected speaker last week. His new hires include a move for chief of staff Hayden Haynes to his leadership office and Billy Constangy to be executive director of his political operation, as well as Dan Ziegler as his chief policy aide.