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Houlahan Pledges To Find Common Ground With Republican Speaker Johnson

Washington, October 25, 2023
  • House Chamber

Originally Published in Patch.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, a Chester County Democrat, vowed Wednesday to work with Rep. Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican who won the election to be the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

“I will immediately seek to find common ground with Speaker Johnson, but it’s no secret our voting records look very different,” Houlahan said following Johnson's election.

“His efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election should concern us all, and I remain apprehensive about what his leadership could mean for the integrity of our democratic institutions.”

Johnson was elected by a vote of 220-209, surpassing the 215-vote total required to win. The House was without a Speaker for more than three weeks.

All Democrats in attendance voted for Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat.

Houlahan said she is concerned about Johnson’s positions on key issues, including funding government, protecting women’s reproductive freedoms, and strengthening democracies abroad.

Nevertheless, Houlahan said she respects Republicans' right to elect their leader.

“There is work to be done,” she said. “The House must now come together and work bipartisanly to support our allies, reform our broken immigration system, and responsibly fund our government. I look forward to working with the new House leadership wherever possible.”

Houlahan said she is hopeful Johnson will support the bipartisan initiatives she is working on, which include paid family leave, climate solutions, military quality of life, veterans’ benefits, and protecting mushroom farmers.