CAMPBELL HALL – US Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson was in Campbell Hall Saturday for a campaign fundraiser for Alison Esposito, the Republican challenger to incumbent Democrat Rep. Pat Ryan (NY-18). Esposito was the GOP’s candidate for lieutenant governor alongside Lee Zeldin who unsuccessfully ran for governor against Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2022.
In an exclusive interview with Mid-Hudson News, Speaker Johnson addressed what he believes are the most pressing issues voters face.
Nationally, the Democrats are running on the platform of improved abortion rights and gun control in contrast to the Republicans who are stressing immigration and inflation as the most important issues in the nation.
“The issues here in the Hudson Valley are the same as they are all around the country,” Speaker Johnson said, noting that he has visited 133 cities in more than 30 states in the last six months. “It doesn’t matter where we are,” he said, “Everybody’s concerned about the same things – they’re concerned about the cost of living and inflation because people are working so hard and they can barely keep up right now.”
Transitioning to immigration issues, Speaker Johnson subtly linked the issue to crime statistics, saying of the voters “They’re worried about the crime in the streets, which is a big issue around the country, and of course immigration is top of mind for everybody. The open border has made every state a border state and of course, New York is having to deal with the fallout of that as well.”
Speaker Johnson says the issues of inflation and immigration are going to drive voters to the polls in November, while he also claims there is a nationwide shift in voter demographics. He told Mid-Hudson News that a record number of voters from the Hispanic and Latino communities are joining with the Jewish community and Black and African-American voters to become registered Republicans. The voters are registering Republican he says, because “They’re looking for answers to these great challenges and we’re the party providing the answers.”
A recent Siena Poll says voters continue to favor Democrats for Congress over Republicans, 50-35 percent, compared to 49-33 percent in May. Voters give Democrats in Congress a closely divided favorability rating, 47-45 percent, however, they are very unfavorable towards Republicans in Congress, 29-62 percent.
In the poll, results say that New Yorkers support additional constitutional protections for abortion rights by a margin of 65-20 percent while the majority also supports rights for transgenders 49-32 percent. Support for a constitutional amendment that protects both abortion and transgender rights remains high, 59-27 percent compared to the results of a poll in May, showing a 59-26 percent margin of favorability.
Consistent with Republican’s messaging, poll results say voters overwhelmingly continue to regard the recent influx of migrants to New York as a problem with 83 percent saying it’s a very or somewhat serious issue.
Johnson has been in Congress representing Louisiana’s 4th District since January 2017 and was elected 56th Speaker of the House in October 2023.
