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Johnson says dissent remains in GOP, despite Cassidy's loss after Trump endorsing rival
House Speaker Mike Johnson said that dissent remains in the GOP, despite Sen. Bill Cassidy's, R-La., primary loss after President Trump endorsed one of his rivals.
Cassidy lost his Republican primary race over the weekend after Trump decided to endorse one of his rivals following the senator's vote to impeach him in 2021.
Trump was also concerned over Cassidy, a medical doctor who is chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, failing to support the administration's “Make America Great Again” agenda.
When asked on "Fox News Sunday" to respond to concerns that Cassidy’s loss shows dissent is not permitted within Trump’s GOP, Johnson said he continues to see robust disagreements within the party in Congress.
“You see dissent here every day. I mean, I deal with it all day long with the smallest margin in history, working through people’s philosophical differences and preferences,” Johnson said. “But this is a vibrant party, it’s a strong party. We are in a great position to win the midterms and defy history.”
“It’s true that President Trump has a huge influence in [Louisiana], as he does still across the country, and you see that over and over in all these elections,” he added. “It’s the most powerful endorsement in the history of politics, and it continues to be shown.”
Cassidy is the first GOP senator to lose renomination in nearly 10 years following Trump’s criticism.