A statement from the Admin team of the Multnomah County Democrats about the new Speaker of the US House of Representatives

On October 25, MAGA extremist Mike Johnson of Louisiana was elected by Republicans to be the next Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Why is this an issue for Democrats in Multnomah County? Rep. Johnson is an election denier and was one of the principal architects of Trump’s scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 election. He is also anti-LGBTQ+, anti-abortion and has embraced the far right’s culture wars. Johnson called the overturning of Roe vs. Wade “a great, joyous occasion.” He authored the “Stop the Sexualization of Children Act,” the national version of Florida’s hateful “Don’t Say Gay” bill, and also supported anti-transgender legislation alongside Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA). Cleary, Johnson’s “conservative” views endanger those most vulnerable in our society.

The message to Oregonians and all Americans is clear: the Republican Party is owned by anti-democratic extremists.

We as Multnomah County Democrats must work now to elect Democrats up and down the ballot, making sure they share our values and principles. We must protect women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, our climate, low-income and working families, organized labor, our democracy and the right to vote. 

The election season has already begun, and we need all of your help to continue the fight against those who want to plunge our country into more division and chaos. 

Here are a few things Multnomah County Democrats can do right now:

• Join the Campaign and Candidate Liaison Committee, which is researching candidates in the statewide and local elections for 2024. Help inform voters of exactly what candidates stand for, and work to support Democrats up and down the ballot. Contact Co-Chairs Nan Stark and Dannelle Stevens at campaign@multdems.org.
• Sign up to be a Neighborhood Leader, to help get out the vote and share news about the Democrats on the 2024 ballots. Visit https://multdems.org/get-involved/be-a-neighborhood-leader/, and email nlp@multdems.org for more information.
• Join any of the other MultDems committees and work groups, including the Community Action & Engagement Committee, Climate Action Committee, Racial Inclusivity Work Group, Education Work Group, and more. Information and links are at: https://multdems.org/get-involved/join-a-committee/.
• Have other ideas? Contact our volunteer coordinator at volunteer@multdems.org to discuss opportunities.