Historically speaking, the party in power in the White House loses seats in Congress, and if you believe this year’s midterm polling, history will repeat itself.
Political pundits across the spectrum have predicted that Republicans will lose control of the House and maybe even the Senate, as President Trump’s polling numbers appear to be tanking thanks to the Iran war and rising gas prices.
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But House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is taking a different, more positive tone.
Johnson said he is confident Republicans will maintain control of Congress and expand their majority in November’s midterm elections.
Speaking during a campaign stop in Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District, Johnson described the election as a choice between what he called “common sense and crazy.”
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He added that voters won’t want to choose the “dark, dangerous, deadly road to communism,” a nod to the rise of hard-left socialists in the Democratic Party.
“In the next Congress, we will not be arguing over marginal tax rates or regulation,” the Louisiana Republican said.
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“We’ll be arguing over whether or not we’re going to maintain our republic in our 251st year as a nation,” he continued.
Johnson said he is currently in the middle of what he described as a “30-day nonstop tour” aimed at boosting Republican candidates ahead of the November elections.
The campaign effort includes stops in 34 congressional districts across 18 states, as Republicans work to defend and potentially expand their House majority.
“I’m absolutely convinced that we’re going to grow the House majority,” he said, touting Republicans’ roster of “extraordinary people running.”
Johnson joined Rep. Jen Kiggans on the campaign trail Monday in Virginia as Republicans intensified their efforts in one of the party’s closely watched House races.
Kiggans, who is serving her second term in Congress, is facing a rematch against former Democratic Rep. Elaine Luria, whom she defeated in 2022.
A Democratic poll released in July showed the race deadlocked, underscoring the district’s status as a key battleground in the fight for control of the House.
Despite the competitive landscape, Johnson said he remains confident that Kiggans will secure another victory, describing her as one of the most effective members of Congress.
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“She’s among the most bipartisan members, one of the members that can walk into the middle of chaotic situations and get things done,” he said, while also pointing to Kiggans’s experience as a U.S. Navy helicopter pilot and geriatric nurse practitioner.
Kiggans said during the event that voters in her district want to move forward, not backwards, but she went on to stress just what is at stake.
“It’s a fight right now between craziness and common sense, and really civility and communism, socialism — the direction the Democratic Party has had to go to the left,” she said.
“And the opponent that we’re running against who doesn’t live in the district and who made $21 million inside stock trading, who now turns around and says she’s against inside stock trading,” Kiggans added.
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Kiggans offered a different narrative, saying “Republicans are delivering on security and prosperity.”
During a question-and-answer session with reporters on Monday, Johnson and Kiggans were asked about recent comments from House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Jeffries said Sunday that he opposed the policy platform of the Democratic Socialists of America and sought to distance the Democratic Party from several progressive proposals, including Medicare for All, the Washington Times reported.
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“It’s a fascinating thing to see the Democratic Party; they’re in the midst of now an open civil war,” said Johnson.
He added that while Johnson and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) may say they are against the DSA’s platform, they’ll still have to bring those members into the fold to get legislation passed if they win back control.
The speaker said House Republicans also launched a website over the weekend, contrastforamerica.com, to highlight the differences between the two parties’ agendas.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
