Watch: Ron Johnson shares 'unoriginal' Trumpian anecdote when asked why he is seeking a third term

Watch: Ron Johnson shares 'unoriginal' Trumpian anecdote when asked why he is seeking a third term
United States Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin) (screengrab/@RonFilipkowski/Twitter).
Brandon Gage
June 20, 2022Bank

United States Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin) announced his bid for a third term in January despite having pledged to only serve two.

"That's always been my game plan. I will say I never expected this to happen, though. The reality has changed from what I thought it would be in 2022," he said in 2018.

"It is not a decision I have made lightly," he remarked in January according to PolitiFact, which rated his change of heart as a Full Flop. "Having already experienced a growing level of vitriol and false attacks, I certainly don’t expect better treatment in the future."

Who would you vote for in 2024, Biden or DeSantis? Vote now.

His reasoning remained elusive until Monday when Johnson – an outspoken conspiracy theorist and devoted follower of former President Donald Trump – finally offered a curious explanation as to why he ultimately decided to seek reelection.

“I didn’t want to do this. I was happy with 12 years and go home okay? My wife really didn't want me to do this," Johnson recalled in an interview. "But we're both patriots, and when we started opening up after COVID, as I'm going around the state, people are literally coming up to me with tears in their eyes or streaming down their cheeks saying, ‘You gotta run. You gotta help us save this country!' okay? And now that I've decided to run now it's just, you know, 'we have to save this country.' The tears haven't gone away."

Watch below via Ron Filipkowski:

Johnson's transparently Trumpian anecdote was met with intense skepticism on social media, given his less-than-stellar PolitiFact record. The website found that 32 percent of his public statements have been "mostly false," with 68 percent ranging from "half-true" to "pants on fire."




From Your Site Articles
Related Articles Around the Web
Report typos and corrections to: feedback@alternet.org.

Should Trump be allowed to hold office again?

Understand the importance of honest news ?

So do we.

The past year has been the most arduous of our lives. The Covid-19 pandemic continues to be catastrophic not only to our health - mental and physical - but also to the stability of millions of people. For all of us independent news organizations, it’s no exception.

We’ve covered everything thrown at us this past year and will continue to do so with your support. We’ve always understood the importance of calling out corruption, regardless of political affiliation.

We need your support in this difficult time. Every reader contribution, no matter the amount, makes a difference in allowing our newsroom to bring you the stories that matter, at a time when being informed is more important than ever. Invest with us.

Make a one-time contribution to Alternet All Access, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you.

Click to donate by check.

DonateDonate by credit card
Donate by Paypal
{{ post.roar_specific_data.api_data.analytics }}
@2022 - AlterNet Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. - "Poynter" fonts provided by fontsempire.com.