EXCLUSIVE: Speaker Mike Johnson Drops Video Calling On Republicans To Unite Around Trump After Massive Win In Nevada
Mary Lou Masters on February 9, 2024
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson is releasing a new video on Friday, first obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation, calling on the GOP to unite around former President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign following his massive win in Nevada.
Trump secured 99% of the share in the Nevada caucus on Thursday, where he essentially ran unopposed, after winning majorities in the New Hampshire primary and Iowa caucus in January. The speaker’s video compiles media reports from each of Trump’s wins and echoes Johnson’s previous calls for Republican unity to defeat President Joe Biden in November.
“It is more clear than ever before: President Biden must be defeated,” Johnson told the DCNF in a statement. “Following victories in Iowa, New Hampshire, the US Virgin Islands, and Nevada, it is time for Republicans to unite behind President Trump so we can focus on ending the disastrous Biden presidency and growing our majority in Congress.”
Johnson endorsed Trump for 2024 “wholeheartedly” shortly after he won the gavel with unanimous Republican support in late October.
All members of House Republican leadership are supporting the former president’s bid, including GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik of New York, Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota, Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana, National Republican Congressional Committee Chair Richard Hudson of North Carolina and Republican Policy Committee Chair Gary Palmer of Alabama.
“I am convinced he’s going to be the next President of the United States, that he will get a second term, and I am very much looking forward to that happening,” Johnson can be heard saying in the video.
Biden hasn’t led in the RealClearPolitics (RCP) average for a potential rematch with Trump since early September, and is now down by two points. The former president is leading Biden by several points in crucial battleground states like Arizona, Michigan, Georgia and Nevada.
Nevada held both a state-run primary and a party-run caucus for the Republican nomination this week. Former Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak signed legislation in 2021 mandating a primary for presidential elections, but the Nevada GOP decided to keep its decades-old caucus process.
Haley opted to participate in the primary, along with former Vice President Mike Pence and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who are no longer in the race. The former ambassador came in second to the “None of These Candidates” option on Tuesday, losing by 33 points.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, conservative businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum were set to compete in the caucus before withdrawing their candidacies. Businessman Ryan Binkley was the only other candidate who participated in the caucus other than Trump, and he received a mere 536 votes.
The former president also won the U.S. Virgin Islands caucus on Thursday evening where he received nearly 74% of the share compared to former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley’s 26%, according to The Associated Press.
Trump won 51% support in the Iowa caucus on Jan. 15, and Haley came in third place with 19.1%. In New Hampshire’s primary, the former president beat Haley by 11 points.
The next nominating contest is in Haley’s home state of South Carolina on Feb. 24, where Trump is currently leading by over 30 points in the RCP average.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].