Staff Reports
House Speaker Mike Johnson has become the target of intense criticism from Democratic lawmakers, including Adam Schiff, following his unanimous election by the Republican majority. Schiff, a Democrat representing California, took to Twitter to unleash a tirade against Johnson, even discouraging voters from conducting their own research on the new Speaker. In his tweets, Schiff labeled Johnson as a “hard-right, pro-Trump, leading election denier in the House,” adding that his election is a sad reflection of the Republican conference’s standards.
Adam Schiff Has Complete Meltdown after Mike Johnson Is Elected Speakerhttps://t.co/KGuL4ItTBz
— The Daily Fetched (@DailyFetched) October 26, 2023
Notably, President Joe Biden’s 2024 campaign also strongly condemned Johnson’s election, with a campaign spokesman stating that it “cements the extreme MAGA takeover of the House Republican Conference.” Despite this condemnation, Biden did offer his congratulations to Johnson and expressed a willingness to work with him “in good faith.” However, other Democratic lawmakers were not as conciliatory.
Representatives Katie Porter, Ilhan Omar, and Jimmy Gomez all voiced their disapproval of Johnson becoming Speaker. Porter referred to him as an “insurrectionist” and expressed concern over his position as second in line to the presidency, while Omar labeled him a “MAGA Extremist” who has opposed abortion rights and LGBTQ+ rights. Gomez went further, accusing the GOP of succumbing to the radical wing of their party and describing Johnson as a MAGA extremist who fueled the January 6th insurrection and is a puppet of Donald Trump.
Even Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, known for her outspokenness, joined in the criticism, calling Johnson a key architect of the attempt to overturn the US election. Ocasio-Cortez shared a video of Johnson leading a crowd that booed and told a Congressional correspondent to “shut up” when questioned about the event. She used this as evidence of his extremism.
It is clear that Johnson’s election as House Speaker has sparked deep dissatisfaction among Democrats, with many painting him as an extreme and dangerous figure within the Republican Party. The conservative base, on the other hand, sees Johnson’s election as a victory for their values and a step towards pushing back against the Democrats’ agenda.
