The conservative Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., became House speaker yesterday after winning a floor vote… and the Democrats aren’t happy.
High-ranking Democrats went on Twitter to lie, and some Democrats even slammed Johnson on the House floor.
Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., voted for the Democratic nominee Hakeem Jeffries, and she said on the House floor, “Happy wedding anniversary to my wife! Hakeem Jeffries!”
Craig was presumably referring to Johnson’s conservative record on same-sex marriage. Most recently, Johnson joined 156 other representatives to vote against the Respect for Marriage Act last year.
While Craig slammed Johnson during a House vote, other Democrats hid behind their screens.
Some Democrats blatantly lied about Johnson’s alliances and his public statements.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., tweeted a video of Republicans lining up behind Johnson.
“Introducing extremist GOP Speaker nominee Mike Johnson,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. “Here he is leading a crowd that’s booing and telling a Congressional correspondent to ‘shut up’ when asking about it.”
In reality, Johnson simply shook his head at the reporter’s question. Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., was the one telling the reporter to “shut up.”
President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign issued an especially unhinged statement.
The Biden campaign’s spokesperson Ammar Moussa said in a statement —
MAGA Mike Johnson’s ascension to the speakership cements the extreme MAGA takeover of the House Republican Conference.
Now, Donald Trump has his loyal foot soldier to ban abortion nationwide, lead efforts to deny free and fair election results, gut Social Security and Medicare, and advance the extreme MAGA agenda at the expense of middle-class families.
Former President Donald Trump did not, in fact, endorse Johnson’s speakership bid. Trump endorsed Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, only to watch Jordan lose three votes on the House floor. After that, Trump declined to endorse anyone.
Notably, Biden’s White House said something completely different. “Jill and I congratulate Speaker Johnson on his election… Even though we have real disagreements about important issues, there should be a mutual effort to find common ground wherever we can,” the White House said.
Other Democrats seem to have embraced the Biden campaign’s “MAGA” messaging.
“House GOP has made MAGA extremist, Mike Johnson Speaker [sic,]” Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., tweeted. “With this choice, Republicans have embraced the extreme MAGA playbook.
Take a look —
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
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
1) Biden campaign statement on Johnson
2 and 3) White House statement. pic.twitter.com/wevlllzfU1— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) October 25, 2023
The Horn editorial team