(PartiallyPolitics.com) – In the wake of Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) election as the new Speaker of the House, President Biden’s reelection campaign swiftly issued a statement underscoring the significance of this development. According to the campaign spokesperson, Ammar Moussa, Johnson’s rise to this pivotal role reinforces the increasing influence of the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement within the ranks of House Republicans. The campaign alleges that Johnson, a staunch ally of former President Donald Trump, will likely champion efforts to curtail abortion rights, challenge the integrity of elections, and cut back on entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare.
With the deadline to finance the government fast approaching on November 17, the Biden Administration also stressed the importance of Congressional action on a $100 billion national security package aimed at assisting Israel and Ukraine. Moussa pointed out Johnson’s prior history of contesting the 2020 election results, raising questions about his suitability to be second in line for the presidency.
The spokesperson concluded by emphasizing that the American electorate has demonstrated its distaste for the extreme MAGA ideology in previous elections, and signaled a spirited challenge to Republicans who back Johnson come next November.
Johnson has a track record of supporting Trump’s baseless claims of election fraud, even leading an amicus brief backed by 100 House Republicans in a Texas lawsuit that sought to overturn 2020 election results in four states.
Meanwhile, President Biden expressed little concern over Johnson’s potential efforts to undermine the 2024 election. Johnson, who has served as the vice chairman of the House GOP since 2021, is no stranger to leadership roles, having once chaired the Republican Study Committee, the House’s largest conservative caucus.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) also criticized the newly elected Speaker earlier in the day, targeting Johnson’s policy stances, particularly on issues such as abortion, Social Security, and Medicare. Jeffries accused Johnson of wanting to institute a nationwide prohibition on abortion.
It’s worth noting that Johnson was among the minority of Republicans who voted against a $40 billion aid package for Ukraine and was one of 117 Republicans who also rejected a separate bill allocating $300 million in aid to Ukraine.
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