In a Congress filled with memes and hot takes, Rep. Greg Landsman stands out for the opposite. The freshman Democrat from Ohio speaks methodically, uttering each word only after an almost rabbinical level of contemplation — which is fitting for someone with a master’s in theological studies from the Harvard Divinity School.
That doesn’t mean everything he says is politically cautious or boring. He’s given considerable thought to Taylor Swift’s relationship with her father, for example. And when he bashes Mike Johnson, it’s because he believes the new House speaker isn’t curious or empathetic enough for the job.
“I use my faith to connect to people and find common humanity and do good work,” Landsman says. “Based on what I have seen so far, that is not how he uses his faith.”
