In visit to a vital battleground district, Johnson said he’s “bullish” on Republicans’ 2026 chances

House Speaker Mike Johnson campaigned in Lansing for Rep. Tom Barrett, who is seeking a second term representing Michigan's 7th District against Democrat William Lawrence, a housing advocate and Sunrise Movement founder. Johnson called himself ‘very bullish’ on Republicans' chances while acknowledging only two presidents in 90 years have gained House and Senate seats in a midterm.

Johnson touted the One Big Beautiful Bill Act's tax cuts and deregulation, and cast Lawrence and the Democratic Socialists of America as pushing to abolish the presidency and Senate in favor of a single legislative body. Lawrence countered that Barrett, Johnson and Trump cut healthcare and raised costs while giving tax breaks to data center developers.

Data centers have become a flashpoint: Lawrence wants a 12-month federal moratorium, while Barrett favors leaving the decision to local communities. Johnson called a broad moratorium ‘dangerous’ given competition with China on AI, while Lawrence's campaign argues local control just means letting corporations bulldoze towns that lack resources to resist.

The full dispatch is available from the source below.