House Speaker Mike Johnson is imploring Republican voters to make sure they go to the polls during this year’s midterm elections to keep Democrats from regaining control of part or all of Congress.
In an interview with former George W. Bush official and current CNN conservative commentator Scott Jennings earlier this month, Johnson predicted that victorious Democrats would waste no time in impeaching President Donald Trump a third time.
“It’s guaranteed, probably on the first day—first or second day,” Johnson said, pointing to impeachment resolutions already introduced during the current Congress.
“Remember, they’ve already filed articles of impeachment in this Congress,” the speaker continued, adding that Democratic lawmakers were “raring to go.”
Johnson’s remarks underscore the stakes Republicans are attaching to the November 3 elections, when voters will decide whether the GOP retains control of the chamber and its committee leadership.
A Democratic House majority would have authority to set the agenda, issue committee subpoenas and launch investigations into administration decisions, even if the Senate remained under Republican control.
Party leaders have stopped short of promising to begin impeachment proceedings immediately, but they also haven’t pointedly stated they would not, at some point, try to impeach Trump again.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries addressed the issue during a September interview with ABC News, saying his party had neither committed to nor ruled out pursuing the president’s removal.
“We haven’t ruled anything in, and we haven’t ruled anything out in terms of impeachment,” Jeffries told host George Stephanopoulos.
Jeffries said Democratic lawmakers would instead examine evidence and constitutional requirements before deciding what actions to take against the administration.
“We’ve got to follow the facts, apply the law, be guided by the Constitution, and then let the chips fall where they may,” he said.
Democrats have outlined plans for extensive oversight if they gain control, including scrutiny of administration spending, federal contracts, immigration enforcement and the president’s business interests.
They also say they want to prioritize healthcare costs, housing, tariffs and other economic concerns that have featured prominently in congressional campaigns.
Some Democratic lawmakers support another impeachment effort, while others have warned that such a fight could divert attention from legislation and oversight that voters expect Congress to pursue.
There is already a concrete record behind Johnson’s warning: the House voted September 15 on a motion to table a resolution seeking to impeach Trump.
According to the House clerk, that motion passed 232 to 147, with 47 members voting present and seven not voting.
The roll call showed 147 Democrats opposing the motion to table, while 18 Democrats supported shelving the resolution and another 46 voted present.
Those figures demonstrate substantial Democratic support for allowing the resolution to advance, but they do not establish that the entire party favors an immediate new proceeding.
Trump was impeached twice during his first presidential term, first in 2019 over his dealings with Ukraine and again in 2021 following the January 6 Capitol attack.
The Senate acquitted him in both cases, and a third impeachment would likewise require a House majority before any trial could proceed in the upper chamber.
Conviction and removal would require a two-thirds Senate vote, a substantially higher threshold than the simple majority needed to approve articles in the House.
For Johnson, the possibility of another impeachment battle offers a way to frame the election around congressional power and the potential consequences of divided government.
For Democrats, the same election presents an opportunity to investigate the executive branch and advance priorities they say have been blocked under Republican leadership.
Neither party’s expectations settle what voters will decide, and polling projections remain separate from actual results in competitive districts across the country.
Johnson has continued campaigning for Republican candidates, arguing that enthusiasm he sees at events is stronger than some national surveys suggest.
His latest warning places Trump’s political future alongside economic and policy disputes as Americans prepare to choose the next House majority.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
