House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is sharpening his economic and government-spending attacks against Democrats ahead of the November midterm elections, accusing the opposition party of fighting Republican tax cuts and contributing to government shutdowns that left hundreds of thousands of federal employees without regular paychecks.
Johnson made the argument in a social media post this week, contrasting the records of the two parties as Republicans seek to retain control of Congress.
“Democrats OPPOSED helping Americans keep more of their hard earned money — AND — they BLOCKED paychecks for hundreds of thousands of hardworking Americans for nearly four months!” Johnson wrote.
“Republicans deliver REAL, POSITIVE solutions,” he continued, before accusing Democrats of delivering the two longest federal government shutdowns in U.S. history.
Johnson concluded with one of his sharpest attacks on Democrats heading into the final weeks of the campaign.
“Democrats are on the side of CRAZY,” he wrote.
The comments are part of a broader Republican effort to make taxes, government spending and the recent shutdown fights central issues in the midterms.
Johnson has repeatedly promoted the tax provisions Republicans enacted in 2025, arguing that the legislation reduced federal taxes for working- and middle-class Americans.
Among the provisions highlighted by Republicans are an expanded standard deduction, a larger child tax credit, a $6,000 deduction for qualifying seniors and deductions involving income from tips and overtime.
Johnson has said the package produced an average 15% tax cut for families earning between $15,000 and $80,000 annually, citing administration estimates.
Democrats have disputed the GOP’s characterization of the law, arguing that its benefits disproportionately favor wealthier households and corporations while other provisions reduce spending on health care and assistance programs.
Johnson has increasingly framed the disagreement in stark terms as the November elections approach.
“If you want more money in your pockets, you have to keep Republicans in charge,” Johnson said in another recent message, arguing that Democratic control would lead to higher taxes and increased federal spending.
Democrats OPPOSED helping Americans keep more of their hard earned money — AND — they BLOCKED paychecks for hundreds of thousands of hardworking Americans for nearly four months!
Republicans deliver REAL, POSITIVE solutions. Democrats delivered the two LONGEST GOVERNMENT… pic.twitter.com/KLAd3x0FMS
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) September 23, 2026
The speaker’s latest attack also revisits the prolonged government shutdown battles that dominated Washington during the previous year.
The first shutdown began Oct. 1, 2025, after lawmakers failed to reach agreement on legislation funding the government.
Republicans backed a short-term spending measure that would have largely continued existing funding levels. Democrats sought concessions involving health care, including an extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies and changes to Medicaid provisions.
Neither proposal initially secured enough support in the Senate to overcome the chamber’s 60-vote threshold.
The shutdown caused significant disruptions across the federal government.
Hundreds of thousands of federal employees were furloughed, while hundreds of thousands more continued working without receiving their regular paychecks.
By late October, approximately 670,000 federal workers had been furloughed, and roughly 730,000 were working without pay, according to estimates cited by Forbes.
Republicans and Democrats repeatedly blamed each other for the impasse.
Johnson argued throughout the shutdown that Senate Democrats could reopen the government by supporting the House-backed funding legislation.
Democratic leaders countered that Republicans controlled the House, Senate, and White House and should negotiate over health care and other spending priorities rather than demand passage of the GOP proposal without changes.
The political fight ultimately contributed to an extraordinary period of federal funding disruptions, including a later 76-day partial shutdown involving the Department of Homeland Security.
Congress has since moved to prevent another shutdown immediately before the midterm elections.
Earlier this month, the House overwhelmingly approved a temporary spending measure keeping the federal government funded through Dec. 11.
The legislation passed 370-48 after previously clearing the Senate, temporarily removing the threat of another shutdown while lawmakers campaign for reelection.
Johnson celebrated that vote as evidence Republicans were determined to avoid another funding crisis.
“We are not going to have our troops in harm’s way without getting paychecks,” Johnson said following passage of the measure, also pointing to Coast Guard personnel, TSA employees, and other federal workers who could be affected by another shutdown.
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