House lawmakers departed Washington on a campaign footing ahead of the five-week-long August recess.
House Speaker Mike Johnson is vowing to crisscross the country in support of GOP candidates and incumbents, and he’s framing the midterms as “common sense versus communism” in an effort to hitch Democratic candidates to insurgent progressive challengers across the country.
Republicans hope that gerrymandering and a backlash to the progressive left will help tip the midterms in their favor despite headwinds.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters Democrats plan to launch a pre-midterm “100 days of action” on Sunday that would be “connected to our commitment to fight for an affordable America,” a sign they’re doubling down on cost-of-living issues.
He brushed off the Republican attacks, too, insisting the effort to label Democrats “communists” would “fail.”