House Speaker Mike Johnson said Americans “made the wrong choice” in last week’s midterm elections, warning that Democratic control of the House could produce two years of political “chaos.”
Johnson made the comments Monday after returning to Capitol Hill following an election that cost Republicans their House majority and prompted him to announce he would step aside from GOP leadership.
When asked about polling, Johnson laid into firms for having data that was all over the place and wildly inconsistent.
“With regard to the polls… Everybody saw the polls were off,” Johnson, who announced after the midterms he would be stepping down as House GOP leader, said.
“They were off all over the place. None of you projected the final outcome. The polls were wildly inaccurate. The polling industry missed it yet again by a mile,” Johnson added.
CNN congressional correspondent Manu Raju then asked Johnson whether President Donald Trump should “course correct” following Republican losses across the country.
Johnson rejected the suggestion that he should tell Trump to change direction. “I’m not going to tell the president how to do his job,” Johnson said. “We have an incredible record for the first two years of his term, and I expect more success in the days ahead.”
Johnson then offered a striking assessment of the election results. “I’m sorry that the voters made the wrong choice,” Johnson said. “I really do believe that these next two years are going to be a bit of a circus. It’s going to be chaos, and I hate to say that, but I think that’s where Democrats are going to lead the House.”
Johnson described the change in control as a “great tragedy” and argued Republicans would have continued implementing their agenda had voters returned the party to power.
“It really is, because if we had kept the majority, we would stay on course to continue delivering for the people,” Johnson said. “And I just don’t know how that’s going to work going forward.”
Democrats captured the House after entering Election Day needing only a small number of Republican-held seats to change control of the chamber.
The party ultimately made gains far beyond the minimum required for a majority, while also winning control of the Senate.
Johnson had spent much of the campaign predicting Republicans would defy the historical pattern in which the president’s party frequently loses congressional seats during midterm elections. Those predictions did not materialize.
Johnson nevertheless argued Republicans should not abandon the policies they pursued alongside Trump during the first two years of his second administration.
The Louisiana Republican has pointed to tax policy, immigration enforcement, energy production and other elements of Trump’s domestic agenda as accomplishments Republicans should continue defending.
Johnson offered a similar message on election night. “Now, to every American disappointed by tonight’s results, I mean, I’m disappointed, too,” Johnson told supporters. “But we are never discouraged, okay?”
“Republicans will not be deterred by the outcome of one election,” he added. “In fact, you know what we do? We double down.”
Johnson also warned Democrats against using their incoming majority primarily to investigate Trump and his administration.
“If they make the next two years about retribution and lawfare and partisan games, every American will suffer by that,” Johnson said. “And I’ll tell you what we will do. We will put a firewall of House Republicans standing in their way to ensure that doesn’t happen, okay?”
