House Speaker Mike Johnson said Republicans will “double down” on their conservative agenda after Democrats won enough seats to take control of the House, setting up an immediate fight over the chamber’s future.
Speaking in Shreveport, Louisiana, on Wednesday, Johnson urged disappointed Republicans not to lose heart. “I’m disappointed, too. But we are never discouraged…Because we live in the greatest nation in the world,” he said.
He added that the party would continue pursuing its agenda and pledged, “come 2028 we will take back the House.”
Johnson called serving as the 56th Speaker the honor of his life and said he expected to continue working with colleagues during the 120th Congress.
The Speaker criticized Democrats’ embrace of what he called a “socialist Marxist platform,” warning that socialism and communism lead to suffering, misery and death. He cited Karl Marx’s writings and blamed communist regimes for the deaths of tens of millions in the 20th century.
Johnson also said, “This election was always about much more than just one policy and red team versus blue team.”
Democrats Flip Key States, Oust GOP Senators
Democrats won control of both the House and Senate in the 2026 Midterm elections, delivering a major setback to President Donald Trump and Republicans.
They flipped traditionally Republican states, including Texas, where James Talarico won a historic Senate victory, and South Carolina, where Annie Andrews defeated Sen. Darline Graham (R-S.C.) Democrats also secured wins in Michigan and unseated Republican Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), despite Trump’s support for several losing candidates.
In Michigan, progressive Democrat Abdul El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers, marking a victory for a left-wing candidate who emerged from the Democratic primaries.
Tuesday’s midterm results highlighted voter dissatisfaction over rising costs and the Iran war.
Johnson’s Earlier Confidence in GOP Momentum
Johnson’s remarks followed weeks of public confidence about Republican prospects. In October, he told supporters in Corpus Christi, Texas, that his visits to swing districts showed GOP momentum, despite polls forecasting potentially significant Democratic gains.
Johnson said the political environment “feels like 2024” and argued polls were undersampling Republicans, positioning the midterms as a contest the party could still win.
Last month, Johnson said a Republican defeat could lead him to consider leaving politics, adding that he would be equally committed to starting a lawn business in his hometown of Shreveport if he felt called to do so. ” I’ll do that with equal fervor,” he said. His spokesperson called speculation about his future “hilarious,” while Johnson said he remained focused on retaining the majority.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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