Democrats have to get their way no matter what. Anything less and it’s the end of the world to them.
That’s why one Republican victory just sent Democrats spiraling in anger.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) was unanimously voted by the Republican majority to lead the House of Representatives, making him the first Republican to be unanimously elected by his conference since 2011.
President Joe Biden’s 2024 campaign vehemently opposed Johnson’s election, according to an emailed statement posted on X by Punch Bowl News founder Jake Sherman, despite Biden’s congratulations in an official White House statement.
“MAGA Mike Johnson’s ascension to the speakership cements the extreme MAGA takeover of the House Republican Conference,” Ammar Moussa, a spokesman for the Biden campaign, said in a statement.
This contrasted with Biden’s and First Lady Jill Biden’s “congratulations” to Johnson and their vow to work “in good faith.”
1) Biden campaign statement on Johnson
2 and 3) White House statement. pic.twitter.com/wevlllzfU1— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) October 25, 2023
Democrats in Congress were outraged that Johnson won the Speakership on the first ballot, after three weeks of instability following the removal of Speaker Emeritus Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL).
Representative Katie Porter (D-CA) referred to Johnson as a “insurrectionist.”
“Insurrectionist Mike Johnson is now second in line to the presidency. The American people deserve better,” she said.
Anti-Abortion
Anti-LGBTQ+
Anti-Social Security
Anti-Medicare
Anti-DemocracyInsurrectionist Mike Johnson is now second in line to the presidency. The American people deserve better.https://t.co/tozlz8VEny
— Katie Porter (@katieporteroc) October 25, 2023
Similarly, after Johnson was elected, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) called him a “MAGA Extremist” and claimed that among his “achievements” were a call for a “abortion ban” and votes “against LGBTQ+ rights.”
House GOP has made MAGA extremist, Mike Johnson Speaker.
Notable achievements:
❌Architect of overturning election
❌Seeks abortion ban
❌Voted against LGBTQ+ rights
❌Wants to gut Social Security
With this choice, Republicans have embraced the extreme MAGA playbook. https://t.co/zR9G9Xegxi— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) October 25, 2023
“With this choice, Republicans have embraced the extreme MAGA playbook,” she added.
Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA) claimed the “GOP succumbed to the radical wing of their party.”
“Johnson is a MAGA extremist who helped fuel the January 6 insurrection, believes women and the LGBTQ community don’t deserve rights, and is another puppet to Donald Trump,” he wrote in an emailed press release.
Other notable Democrats, like Reps. Adam Schiff (R-CA), who is competing against Porter for the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s (D-CA) old seat, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), took to X to express their disappointment ahead of the vote, when Johnson’s prospects appeared to be quite promising.
You might be Googling who Mike Johnson is this morning.
Let me make it simple:
Johnson is a hard-right, pro-Trump, leading election denier in the House.
Sadly, this is what passes for Speaker material in the Republican conference.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) October 25, 2023
Schiff advised electors against conducting their own homework and googling the next Speaker.
Let me make it simple: Johnson is a hard-right, pro-Trump, leading election denier in the House,” he wrote. “Sadly, this is what passes for Speaker material in the Republican conference.’
“Introducing extremist GOP Speaker nominee Mike Johnson,” wrote Ocasio-Cortez. “He was a key architect of the Jan 6th strategy to overturn the US election.”
“Here he is leading a crowd that’s booing and telling a Congressional correspondent to ‘shut up’ when asking about it,” she added while rehearing the video.
Introducing extremist GOP Speaker nominee Mike Johnson.
He was a key architect of the Jan 6th strategy to overturn the US election.
Here he is leading a crowd that’s booing and telling a Congressional correspondent to “shut up” when asking about it. https://t.co/M7Fi4rwaCG
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) October 25, 2023
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