House Speaker Mike Johnson has some good news for Republican voters who are jittery about the outcome of the midterm elections.
In an interview released this week, Johnson said he believes Republicans could defy decades of political history in November, arguing that growing concerns about socialism and communism could help the GOP maintain control of Congress despite the traditional disadvantages facing the president’s party during midterm elections.
Johnson made the remarks Tuesday during an interview with The Daily Signal while campaigning for Republican Rep. Rob Bresnahan in Hazleton, Pennsylvania.
The Louisiana Republican compared the approaching election to the 2002 midterms, when Republicans gained congressional seats under President George W. Bush following the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Johnson argued that fear, rather than anger at the party in power, could become a decisive motivation for voters.
“There’s two primary motivations if you look into the history of midterm elections: Anger is a primary motivator, but fear is as well,” Johnson said.
“And there have been anomalies in history—like George W. [Bush], who did not lose his majority after 9/11 because the country was shaken,” the Speaker noted further.
Johnson suggested that Americans are confronting a different set of concerns in 2026.
“We have something different happening in this election cycle as well, and it’s the rise of Marxism and communism [and] socialism,” he said.
“These are all part of the same philosophy, and it is anti-American. And I think people recognize that they know what’s at stake, and I think they’re going to do the right thing,” he added.
His comments reflect a central Republican campaign argument portraying the Democratic Party as moving toward more expansive authoritarian government intervention and left-wing economic policies.
Democrats have rejected those broad characterizations, emphasizing healthcare costs, affordability and opposition to Trump administration policies, while ignoring the fact that a growing number of self-avowed Democratic Socialists of America candidates are winning primaries.
DSA advocates for substantial changes to the current constitutional system and order, including abolishing the Senate and making the Supreme Court and presidency subservient to an all-powerful House.
Bush entered the 2002 election with unusually strong public approval following the September 11 attacks, creating political circumstances substantially different from most midterm cycles.
Johnson believes Republicans can overcome the historical pattern.
“I do not believe the national polls. I think they’re under sampling Republicans,” he told The Daily Signal.
“We have a lot of energy. You’ve seen some of it today in these really important districts. I’m seeing that all around the country,” he said.
Johnson said his firsthand observations while campaigning have reinforced his confidence in Republican turnout. “I genuinely believe we’re going to hold the majority,” he said.
Those statements represent Johnson’s assessment of the campaign rather than an established indication of the election’s outcome.
The speaker has embarked on an extensive campaign schedule while Congress is in recess.
He plans to visit 22 states and approximately 40 congressional districts before Election Day on November 3, concentrating on competitive races that could determine control of the House.
Johnson’s appearance in Hazleton marked his third trip this year to northeastern Pennsylvania in support of Bresnahan.
The freshman Republican represents Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District and faces Democratic Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti.
Bresnahan won the seat in 2024 after defeating longtime Democratic Rep. Matt Cartwright.
Johnson told supporters that the contest is among approximately 22 House races he considers particularly important to determining the congressional majority.
Speaking before roughly 100 supporters at DeAngelo Contracting Services, Johnson criticized Democrats’ economic and governing proposals.
He claimed that some Democrats wanted to eliminate the Senate, restrict private property ownership and dramatically expand government control over the economy.
Cognetti has not advocated eliminating the Senate or abolishing private property, and Johnson did not identify her as supporting those proposals.
Bresnahan also criticized Cognetti’s record as Scranton mayor, particularly on taxes and public safety.
Cognetti and Democratic organizers have emphasized rising living costs and the effects of Republican policies on working families.
House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain, who accompanied Johnson, echoed his criticism of the Democratic Party.
She argued that Democrats have embraced positions on policing, immigration and government institutions that are out of step with voters.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
