By Trendsetter Tribune 
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) intensified his rhetoric regarding election integrity on Tuesday, suggesting that at least three Republican House candidates in the 2024 cycle were victims of “fraudulent” vote counting.
Speaking to reporters following a House leadership press conference, Johnson echoed President Donald Trump’s recent calls for a federal “takeover” of elections in specific locations, framing the issue as a necessary response to “crooked” systems in blue states.
The “Magical” Disappearance of GOP Leads
Johnson specifically targeted California’s election procedures, where some races took weeks to finalize. He claimed that three Republican candidates who held leads on Election Night saw their advantages “magically whittle away” as later tranches of mail-in ballots were processed.
“No series of ballots that were counted after Election Day were our candidates ahead on any of those counts,” Johnson said. “It just—it looks on its face to be fraudulent. Can I prove that? No, because it happened so far upstream, but we need more confidence… in the election system.”
While Johnson did not name the candidates, several high-profile 2024 California races fit his description, including:
- CA-45: Incumbent Michelle Steel led for several days after the election before eventually losing to Democrat Derek Tran.
- CA-13: Incumbent John Duarte held a razor-thin lead that was eventually overtaken by Adam Gray, who won by fewer than 200 votes.
- CA-27: Incumbent Mike Garcia conceded after his Election Night lead evaporated as mail-in ballots were tallied for George Whitesides.
Trump’s Call to “Nationalize” Voting
Johnson’s comments were prompted by a reporter’s question regarding President Trump’s recent interview with podcaster Dan Bongino. In that interview, Trump argued that the federal government should “nationalize” voting to override state-run systems he considers corrupt.
“The Republicans should say, ‘We want to take over. We should take over the voting in at least 15 places,’” Trump told Bongino, specifically citing cities like Detroit, Philadelphia, and Atlanta.
The Federal vs. State Conflict
Johnson attempted to bridge the gap between Trump’s call for federal intervention and the traditional Republican defense of state-led elections.
- The “Frustration” Defense: Johnson characterized Trump’s remarks as “frustration” over blue states failing to enforce a “free and fair” process.
- The SAVE Act: Johnson pointed to the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act as the primary legislative solution. This bill would mandate in-person proof of citizenship (such as a passport or birth certificate) for all federal election registrations.
A Partisan Deadlock on DHS Funding
The election debate has bled directly into the current government funding crisis. A group of conservative House members has threatened to block a long-term funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) unless the SAVE Act is attached.
| Current Status | Details |
| DHS Funding | Extended via stopgap through February 14, 2026. |
| Democratic Stance | Leader Hakeem Jeffries has labeled the SAVE Act a “poison pill” and “Jim Crow-era” voter suppression. |
| Trump’s Playbook | Urging a “clean” funding bill now to avoid a shutdown, while promising a massive election overhaul by executive order later this year. |
History of Skepticism
Speaker Johnson’s latest comments align with his long history of challenging election results. In 2020, he was a key architect of the legal theory used by House Republicans to object to the certification of electors for Joe Biden. His recent allegations suggest that “election integrity” will remain a central pillar of the GOP platform heading into the 2026 midterms.