Colorado lawmakers react to US House speaker

DENVER (KDVR) — After a grueling 22-day stint, the House GOP overwhelmingly backed Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) in his bid for House speaker. He was elected with 220 votes.

This is the fourth Republican candidate in three weeks, causing many to worry about an impending time limit for the federal government’s budget. Here’s how Colorado’s lawmakers reacted.

U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen (CO-07)

“For three weeks, House Republicans have wasted the American people’s time and put politics ahead of the urgent needs of our country. Instead of working with Democrats to find a bipartisan path forward, they chose to cave to the far-right, fringe members holding their party hostage. Today they chose extremism and elected Mike Johnson as Speaker of the House.

“Johnson led the effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election and still will not acknowledge the legitimacy of Joe Biden as President. He wants a nationwide ban on abortion with no exceptions for rape, incest, or the health of the mother. He is strongly opposed to same-sex marriage, voted against interracial marriage, and introduced a federal ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill. He also pushed for drastic cuts to critical programs Coloradans rely on like Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare. His views do not represent the majority of Americans, or even the majority of Republicans.

“While I am glad we can finally get back to work in the House, the last three weeks of chaos and the election of Mike Johnson have shown the American people the extreme path the Republican party is headed down. I sincerely hope this new Speaker and his party will reject the partisanship that forced the House to a standstill, and work with Democrats to lower costs for American families, support our allies abroad, and build a better future for our kids.”

U.S. Rep. Ken Buck (CO-04)

“Congratulations to Rep. Mike Johnson, the 56th Speaker of the U.S House of Representatives. I voted for Rep. Johnson because of his unwavering dedication to conservative principles, his willingness to tackle tough issues, and because he is the right candidate to bring this Republican conference together again.”

“Our top priorities are responsibly funding the government, securing our border, and addressing inflation. I look forward to working with Speaker Johnson to create a focused Congress that will achieve those goals and deliver results to the American people.”

U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (CO-01)

“Instead of embracing bipartisanship, House Republicans have elevated an extremist.

“Mike Johnson helped lead the Big Lie which drove insurrectionists to attack our Capitol on January 6. That alone should be disqualifying. He has also repeatedly worked to end abortion rights, going as far as to declare that doctors should be imprisoned and given hard labor and saying specifically ‘We will get the number of abortions to ZERO.’

“The bottom line is this: Speaker Johnson’s record is fundamentally out of step with the American people. I hope he will put the good of all Americans over House Republicans’ extreme agenda so we can address the urgent challenges facing our nation.”

U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert (CO-03)

Boebert posted a photo of herself and Johnson in the House chamber.

“Congratulations on becoming the next Speaker of the United States House of Representatives!

“You assume office at a critical time for our nation, a time where we are in great need of strong, conservative leadership in the House. I pray that the Lord guides you in right paths and allows our nation to prosper under your leadership.

“God bless you, Mr. Speaker.”

U.S. Rep. Jason Crow (CO-06)

In a post prior to the vote for Johnson, Crow denounced the new Speaker’s record.

“The House is about to vote on a Speaker for the 19th time in 10 months. Who is Mike Johnson?

Hard-right extremist who voted to overturn the 2020 election
Called Jan 6 a “legitimate protest”
Fought to ban abortion nationwide
Believes man-made climate change is a hoax

“An extremist election denier shouldn’t be Speaker of the House.”

U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn (CO-05)

“I was pleased to support Rep. Mike Johnson as the next Speaker of the House. Now we can return to important legislative work like ensuring Israel is able to defend itself and funding essential government functions while reducing wasteful spending.

“Speaker Johnson is well qualified for the position. I look forward to accomplishing what the Constituents in Colorado’s Fifth Congressional District elected me to do under his leadership.”