House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., says he believes Republicans will retain control of the House of Representatives in the November 3 midterm elections, pointing to strong campaign crowds, experienced candidates, substantial fundraising, and his faith as reasons for optimism.

“I believe that we will,” Johnson told The Associated Press during a campaign stop in Maine, invoking his Christian beliefs as he made the case for a Republican victory. “We run to win, and that’s biblical: You run to win,” he said.

Johnson has raised nearly $500 million for House Republicans and plans to campaign in more than 20 states and 40 congressional districts before Election Day. He said the political atmosphere reminds him of the 2024 election, when Republicans won control of Congress and the White House. Still, Johnson acknowledged that Republicans may not emerge with a large majority. “It’s not going to be a giant majority,” he said. “But I genuinely believe that we will have a working majority.”

The speaker faces a difficult political environment, with voters expressing frustration over high prices and the Iran war. Republicans also have one of the narrowest House majorities in modern history, leaving Johnson with little room for defections when advancing legislation. During his three years as speaker, Johnson has repeatedly worked to unite competing factions within the GOP to advance Trump’s agenda. One of his major legislative achievements was securing passage of the administration’s sweeping tax and spending package, which included tax cuts alongside reductions in social spending.

Republican Rep. Mark Harris of North Carolina, who joined Johnson on the campaign swing, praised the speaker’s ability to assemble votes despite the party’s slim margin. “So many times everybody had written off, there was no way he was going to be able to pull off a particular vote,” Harris said. “Yet he always seems to pull out the win in the end.”

Johnson became speaker in October 2023 after a group of Republicans ousted then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy. At the time, Johnson was a relatively junior member of House leadership but had established himself as a strong ally of Trump, including by organizing Republican support for challenges to the 2020 election results that courts and election officials rejected. Since returning to the White House, Trump has maintained close ties with Johnson, regularly communicating with him and relying on congressional Republicans to advance his priorities.

The relationship has also drawn criticism from lawmakers and observers who argue that Congress has ceded too much authority to the executive branch. Johnson rejected that criticism during the Maine visit, insisting that the House had maintained its constitutional powers. “Absolute nonsense,” Johnson said. “We did not yield Article One authority to the president.”

Johnson also faced criticism after abruptly sending lawmakers home early rather than allowing a vote sought by Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., to impeach Secretary of War Pete Hegseth as lawmakers debated efforts to halt the Iran war, which had not been authorized by Congress.

Looking toward the next Congress, Johnson has focused his campaign messaging on portraying Democrats as aligned with the far left, including candidates backed by the Democratic Socialists of America. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., meanwhile, is preparing a first-100-days agenda in the event Democrats regain control. Johnson said Republicans would continue pursuing lower taxes and fewer regulations if they retain the majority, adding that Trump wants to pursue major initiatives during his second term.

The speaker also indicated that he would seek changes to House rules to make the chamber operate more smoothly if Republicans keep control. The GOP has already lost some members viewed as insufficiently aligned with Trump, including Massie, who lost his primary, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who retired early after breaking with the president over the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

Faith remains central to Johnson’s political outlook. A former constitutional lawyer first elected to Congress in 2016, he has frequently discussed the role of Christianity in shaping his decisions and recently led a public prayer on the National Mall during the nation’s 250th anniversary observances. “My faith is a huge component of how I think and how I act and what I do,” Johnson said.

He closed by returning to his belief that Republicans can prevail in November, citing the New Testament’s message about running a race to win. “I pray for God’s will. And I believe God’s will is for us, and not the communists, to be in charge of America,” Johnson said.