Biden campaign knocks Johnson Speakership as cementing ‘extreme MAGA takeover’ of House GOP

President Biden’s reelection campaign wasted no time going after the new Speaker, saying in a statement just after he secured the gavel that the election of Mike Johnson (R-La.) bolsters the so-called MAGA takeover of the House Republicans.

“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,” Biden-Harris 2024 spokesperson Ammar Moussa said.

The campaign noted that Congress is facing a Nov. 17 deadline to fund the government and that the White House is also asking lawmakers to approve a $100 billion national security supplemental to support Israel and Ukraine. 

And, the campaign highlighted that Johnson challenged the 2020 election results in a feisty statement just over a year out from the 2024 election.

“[Extreme] MAGA House Republicans elevated a man to be second-in-line to the presidency who still won’t admit President Biden won the 2020 election. The American people have rejected the extreme MAGA ideology at the ballot box because they understand what’s at stake,” Moussa said. “And so to every MAGA Republican who supported this choice: We’ll see you in November.”    

Johnson supported former President Trump’s unfounded claims that the 2020 election was stolen and led an amicus brief signed by 100 House Republicans supporting a Texas lawsuit that aimed to overturn the results in Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Biden said earlier Wednesday he’s not concerned about Johnson attempting to overturn the future 2024 election results after the House elected Johnson and finally coalesced around a new leader following three chaotic weeks that paralyzed the lower chamber.

The new Speaker has been the House GOP’s vice chairman, a junior leadership position, since 2021, and he is a former chairman of the Republican Study Committee, the largest conservative caucus in the House. 

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) criticized Johnson earlier Wednesday, attacking him for his positions on abortion access, Social Security and Medicare. He said he wants to “criminalize abortion care and impose a nationwide ban.” 

Johnson was also one of 57 Republicans to vote “no” on a $40 billion aid package to Ukraine and one of 117 Republicans to vote “no” on a stand-alone bill to provide $300 million in aid to the country.