House Speaker Mike Johnson joins Mariannette Miller-Meeks in Iowa City amid Gaza protests

Roughly 100 Iowa City community members lined both sides of the bridge on Melrose Avenue between the Courtyard Marriot and Kinnick Stadium on Sunday afternoon, calling for a permanent ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas War.

The demonstrators congregated outside of an event for Iowa Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks and House Speaker Mike Johnson at the Marriott. Johnson was in town to support Miller-Meeks' re-election bid.

Miller-Meeks emphasized the need for strong leadership and integrity in governance in Iowa and across the nation.

"I want to thank all of the College Republicans and young Republicans who are here who have put on this event. So thank you for being here because these individuals, they are not out there on that bridge. And I think that it's so important that they're here. Willing to have dialogue, discourse, and talk, and willing to do the hard thing that it takes to govern, instead of shouting, yelling and trying to wipe out an entire country," Miller-Meeks said.

Her opening remarks also criticized Democrat policies: "What can they run on? Abortion, contraception and in vitro fertilization, and they're going to lie, and they're going to be devious, and they're going to misrepresent the position of every Republican because that's all they have to run one division, deception, denial."

Speaker Mike Johnson advocates for energy independence

Johnson expressed concern about the Biden administration's policies, saying it "is trying to push EVs on the country. … It's so radical, it's not the conservative climate agenda, it's a radical climate agenda that the country is not ready to embrace."

Challenges of government shutdown as a Border Control Tactic

During the conversation, Miller-Meeks asked Johnson why the government doesn't shut down to pressure President Biden to close the border. Johnson said shutting down the government is not a viable solution, highlighting the potential negative consequences, such as stopping payments to essential workers such as troops, TSA agents and Border Patrol agents.

"(The Biden administration) will stop paying our troops who are in harm's way right now," Johnson said. "Talk about flipping the script. They'll blame the open sectors of the border not on their policies but on the Republicans who shut the government down."

Throughout the conversation, Johnson applauded Republican lawmakers and expressed his dedication to getting them reelected in November.

"They are there to solve problems, to advance our conservative principles. They are not seeking attention for themselves," Johnson said. "They want to defend this republic of ours, and it is in jeopardy right now, and you will know it, and so I'm so grateful to have these dear friends that they are. They represent your state so well."

After the event concluded, protestors could still be heard outside on the bridge chanting, "Free, free, free, Palestine," and "The occupation has got to go," and finally shouting "Shame" as people were leaving the event.

Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and business reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at JRish@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rishjessica_

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Speaker Johnson joins Miller-Meeks amid ceasefire protests in Iowa