Title: Rise of Rep. Mike Johnson Reflects GOP’s Embrace of Election Denialism
Subtitle: Former Vice President Mike Pence’s fall and ex-President Donald Trump’s dominance highlight the necessity of denying the 2020 election results for Republican success.
Date: [Insert Date]
In a stunning turn of events, the political landscape of the Republican Party is being reshaped by the rise of Rep. Mike Johnson and the fall of former Vice President Mike Pence. As ex-President Donald Trump continues to exert his influence, it has become increasingly apparent that denial of the 2020 election results is a prerequisite for winning Republican power.
Rep. Johnson, a leading figure in the effort to block the certification of President Joe Biden’s victory, has seen his ascent to the speakership last week bolstered by the approval of pro-Trump lawmakers. Meanwhile, Pence’s suspension of his White House run over the weekend showcases the waning support he received after months of surveys showing him in single-digit numbers. Despite his attempts to explain his constitutional limitations in overturning the election results, grassroots Republicans remained loyal to Trump’s false claims of victory.
The repercussions of contradicting Trump’s lies have been harsh for many Republicans, including former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney and retiring Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, whose careers were decimated for daring to challenge Trump’s narratives. These lies, which falsely assert that Trump was unfairly and illegally removed from the White House, are now the foundation of his 2024 campaign to reclaim power. Not content with discrediting the electoral system, Trump is also setting his sights on tarnishing another pillar of America’s democratic institutions—the courts.
Over the weekend, Trump intensified his social media attacks on the judge presiding over a New York fraud trial involving him, his adult sons, and his company. Trump’s attempts to sway public opinion with inflammatory commentary are a prelude to a historic election year, with the GOP front-runner facing four criminal trials and the specter of being a convicted felon by the time November 2024 rolls around. The judge in one of these cases recently reinstated a gag order against Trump, rejecting his request to pause it during the appeal process.
Trump’s mood is unlikely to improve as his adult children are expected to testify in the New York civil case this week. The judge has already ruled that the Trump Organization committed fraud, compelling the former president to portray the prosecution as a calculated threat to his 2024 aspirations. While this claim is false, it is likely to resonate with Trump’s devoted supporters, many of whom believe his populist rhetoric.
Pence’s failed presidential campaign not only reflects his own political shortcomings but also signals the demise of a brand of Republicanism that sought to distance itself from Trump. His traditional conservative policies and emphasis on a strong foreign policy clashed with Trump’s autocratic leanings, making it near impossible to win over a party that still reveres the ex-president. Critics argue that Pence should have recognized the futility of his campaign sooner, given Trump’s enduring popularity within the GOP.
As other 2024 hopefuls consider their chances against Trump, they face the harsh reality that condemning his denial of the 2020 election results may prove fatal to their campaigns. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, among others, have cautiously criticized Trump while avoiding delving into the details of his assault on democracy, suggesting a careful balancing act to appease their base.
Rep. Johnson, who represents the mainstream of his party’s skepticism towards Biden’s victory, has thus far chosen not to publicly address his role in discrediting the election results. His involvement in legal and quasi-constitutional efforts to sow doubt about Biden’s win, such as joining Texas in questioning swing state results, has been rewarded with political success. Despite the threat these actions posed to democratic norms, Johnson’s maneuvering appears to have secured his rise to power, indicating a shift within the Republican Party.
While the consequences of denying the 2020 election results remain uncertain, one thing is clear: the Republican Party is undergoing a transformation that hinges on embracing or rejecting Trump’s false claims. Whether this denialism can sustain long-term success and the impact it will have on America’s democratic institutions remain to be seen. Nevertheless, the ascent of Rep. Mike Johnson and the fall of former Vice President Mike Pence underscore the influence of election denialism within the GOP.