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House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., signaled Tuesday that Republicans will continue to closely align themselves with President Donald Trump as the November midterms creep closer.
“The American people are going to understand he is on the ballot, at least in a metaphorical sense, because if we were to lose the midterms, everybody knows the chaos that would ensue,” the leader of the House of Representatives told NBC News reporter Scott Wong.
Johnson made the remarks at House Republicans’ annual policy retreat, which is taking place this year at Trump’s golf course and resort in Doral, Florida, where GOP lawmakers are huddling to hash out policy goals ahead of the midterm races and beyond.
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He said Trump is also going to take an “active” role in the coming election cycle.
“President Trump is going to be … he’s engaged, he’s going to run like he’s 2024. He’s going to do the rallies and do the events, and he’s already doing it now,” Johnson said.
“He’s going to be heavily involved. And he is still the turnout machine for our side — as well as the other side, I acknowledge that.”
The speaker’s comments are not surprising given Trump’s continued command and influence over the GOP, but tying Republicans so closely to a sitting president in a midterm year could be viewed as a risky strategy.
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Political history dictates that the party holding all levers of power in Washington at the beginning of a presidential term — in this case, Republicans — generally lose control of one or both houses of Congress in the following election cycle.
It happened most recently during former President Joe Biden’s term, when Republicans clawed back the House majority in the 2022 races and won the Senate in the following 2024 cycle.
But Johnson has been and continues to be optimistic about Republicans’ chances of bucking that trend in November.
“I think there’s so many factors in our favor. I think the energy and excitement is going to be on our side,” Johnson said. “I can’t wait for the midterm convention that we’re going to have before early voting starts in the fall, where we parade all of our stars across the stage, and we talk about all the great things we’ve done for the American people.
“This is a midterm like none other. So, I’m telling you, do not bet against the House Republicans.”
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