House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) sounded like a man on the edge Sunday, pleading with conservative voters to secure Republican control of the House in 2026—or risk what he called “absolute chaos.” Speaking at Turning Point USA’s America Fest in Phoenix, Johnson framed the upcoming midterms not as a policy battle, but as a life raft for President Donald Trump.
“Everything is on the line in the midterms in 2026, and we have much more to do,” Johnson said. “If we lose the House majority, the radical left as you’ve already heard is going to impeach President Trump, they’re going to create absolute chaos; we cannot let that happen!”
What Johnson’s panic reveals is hard to miss: the only thing keeping Trump out of an impeachment process is a GOP House majority. Forget policy or governance—the party’s survival and the survival of its lawbreaking leader are now inseparably linked. That Johnson would publicly frame the midterms this way says a lot about priorities.
Trump’s approval ratings are already sliding, hitting levels rivaling “the lowest readings from his first term” just last week, a clear warning sign for Republicans.
“The Republican Party is on track to lose the House of Representatives if the wrong track numbers look anything like they do right now,” said CNN’s Harry Enten, referencing polls that show two out of three Americans believe the country is on the “wrong track.”
Democrats have already pushed for impeachment, including Rep. Al Green (D-TX), who filed articles against Trump in April. That effort stalled at the time because Democrats were in the minority. But a Democratic House majority in 2026 would make advancing impeachment far more plausible, depending on how many members voted in favor.
Johnson’s urgent plea to young conservatives at America Fest frames the midterms as a battle for survival rather than ideas: save the House, save Trump. It’s a stark moment of clarity. For some Republican leaders, the party’s strategy has become less about governing and more about shielding a single man from accountability.
Watch the clip below:
