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Ron Johnson

Ron Johnson

Ron Johnson is a Republican senator from Wisconsin. A businessman and accountant, Johnson was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010, defeating Democratic incumbent Russ Feingold. He was reelected in 2016, defeating Feingold in a rematch, and in 2022, narrowly defeating Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes.

Ron Johnson Website

Scorecard

true
0% 8 Checks
mostly true
0% 21 Checks
half true
0% 15 Checks
mostly false
0% 28 Checks
false
0% 14 Checks
Pants on Fire
0% 4 Checks
For more details, see the Principles of PolitiFact

Latest Fact-Checks By Ron Johnson

Clear
Ron Johnson
Ron Johnson
stated on January 26, 2025 a TV interview
We’re one of the very few nations that allowed birthright citizenship.”
Mostly True
By Hope Karnopp • February 4, 2025
Ron Johnson
Ron Johnson
stated on November 17, 2024 TV interview
“There's never been a placebo-controlled study on childhood vaccines.”
False
By Madeline Heim • January 2, 2025
Ron Johnson
Ron Johnson
stated on May 19, 2024 TV interview
Says in his three election campaigns, the early polls were "wildly incorrect, all three times."
Mostly True
By Hope Karnopp • June 5, 2024
Ron Johnson
Ron Johnson
stated on April 15, 2024 Podcast
"Every Senate Democrat has voted to support unlimited abortions up to the moment of birth.”
False
By D.L. Davis • May 17, 2024
Ron Johnson
Ron Johnson
stated on December 11, 2023 TV interview
Democrats have also used alternate slates of electors "repeatedly in all kinds of different states."
False
By Ricardo Torres • December 15, 2023
Ron Johnson
Ron Johnson
stated on November 10, 2023 X, formerly Twitter
"In order to be a poll worker on the conservative side, you have to register through the Republican Party of Wisconsin."
Mostly True
By Hope Karnopp • December 4, 2023
Ron Johnson
Ron Johnson
stated on April 24, 2023 Public appearance
The COVID vaccine “has been proven to have negative efficacy.”
False
By Madeline Heim • June 7, 2023
Ron Johnson
Ron Johnson
stated on April 24, 2023 Public statement
Says Social Security is a “legal Ponzi scheme.”
Mostly False
By Vanessa Swales • May 5, 2023
Ron Johnson
Ron Johnson
stated on July 14, 2022 Blog post
“We finally achieved that energy independence… under the Trump administration. President Biden squandered (it) away.”
Mostly False
By Lawrence Andrea • November 1, 2022
Ron Johnson
Ron Johnson
stated on October 4, 2022 Public statement
"To call what happened on January 6 an armed insurrection, I just think is not accurate."
Pants on Fire!
By D.L. Davis • October 10, 2022
Ron Johnson
Ron Johnson
stated on September 26, 2022 TV ad
Says Mandela Barnes “supported a 20% increase in the gas tax.”
Half-True
By Laura Schulte • October 6, 2022
Ron Johnson
Ron Johnson
stated on August 23, 2022 Twitter
"Democrats' radical green energy policies caused record gas prices. "
Mostly False
By D.L. Davis • September 16, 2022
Ron Johnson
Ron Johnson
stated on August 7, 2022 News release
"Last year the IRS audited Americans earning less than $25,000 a year at five times the rate of other groups."
Mostly True
By D.L. Davis • August 25, 2022
Ron Johnson
Ron Johnson
stated on June 28, 2022 Twitter
"Thanks to failed Dem policies, beer is 9.1% more expensive."
Half-True
By Laura Schulte • July 18, 2022
Ron Johnson
Ron Johnson
stated on May 11, 2022 News release
In the immediate wake of a fire and vandalism at the Madison headquarters of an anti-abortion group, Democrats had not condemned “activists who are engaging in this repugnant illegal activity.”
Mostly False
By D.L. Davis • May 31, 2022
Ron Johnson
Ron Johnson
stated on March 18, 2022 Twitter
Gas prices are high “due to the Democrats’ war on fossil fuels.”
Mostly False
By Laura Schulte • March 29, 2022
Ron Johnson
Ron Johnson
stated on February 4, 2022 News release
Federal border officials are allowing undocumented immigrants who are “known criminals who possess an arrest warrant to fly on U.S. aircraft (which) threatens our homeland security.”
Mostly False
By Laura Schulte • March 4, 2022
Ron Johnson
Ron Johnson
stated on January 26, 2022 Radio interview
“All these athletes are dropping dead on the field” after receiving the COVID-19 vaccination.
False
By Laura Schulte • January 28, 2022
Ron Johnson
Ron Johnson
stated on January 9, 2022 Public statement
On not seeking a third term.
Full Flop
By Vanessa Swales • January 14, 2022
Ron Johnson
Ron Johnson
stated on December 8, 2021 Radio interview
Around the world, people who exercise their "health autonomy" and don't get vaccinated are being put "basically into internment camps."
Pants on Fire!
By Madeline Heim • December 13, 2021
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Latest Fact-Checks About Ron Johnson

Resistance Report
Resistance Report
stated on March 2, 2017 a website posting
Says U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson "threatens citizens with arrest if they continue asking for a town hall."
Pants on Fire!
March 7, 2017
Citizen Action of Wisconsin
Citizen Action of Wisconsin
stated on February 28, 2017 a website posting
Says "people who come to" their dissent actions "get a ‘cease and desist’ letter" from Ron Johnson's office.
False
March 2, 2017
Americans United for Change
Americans United for Change
stated on October 26, 2016 an ad
Says "Ron Johnson calls Social Security a Ponzi scheme and wants to privatize the program."
Half-True
November 4, 2016
Russ Feingold
Russ Feingold
stated on October 27, 2016 a meeting with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial board.
Says Ron Johnson "is benefiting from several super PACs, I am not."
False
By Cara Lombardo • November 3, 2016
Russ Feingold
Russ Feingold
stated on October 26, 2016 a radio ad
Says Donald Trump and Ron Johnson "oppose a woman's right to choose and Johnson voted against the Violence Against Women Act."
Mostly True
November 3, 2016
Russ Feingold
Russ Feingold
stated on October 6, 2016 a meeting with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial board.
Says U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson "doesn't even believe that there's a man-made role in climate change."
Mostly True
By Cara Lombardo • October 31, 2016
Russ Feingold
Russ Feingold
stated on September 6, 2016 a radio ad
Says Ron Johnson "has essentially done nothing" to fight heroin addiction and opioid abuse.
False
October 26, 2016
Russ Feingold
Russ Feingold
stated on September 26, 2016 a TV ad
Says Ron Johnson "helped companies ship jobs overseas."
False
October 5, 2016
Russ Feingold
Russ Feingold
stated on June 14, 2016 in a campaign ad
Says Ron Johnson gave himself a $10 million 'sweetheart corporate payout'
Half-True
By Eric Litke • September 9, 2016
Russ Feingold
Russ Feingold
stated on June 14, 2016 a TV ad
Says Ron Johnson "voted five times for tax breaks that help companies ship Wisconsin jobs overseas."
False
By Alison Dirr • August 26, 2016
Democratic Party of Wisconsin
Democratic Party of Wisconsin
stated on June 23, 2016 a radio ad
Says U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson "opposes faster broadband internet in small towns" and "got nearly $90,000 in campaign contributions from the telecom special interests."
Half-True
By Cara Lombardo • July 27, 2016
Democratic Party of Wisconsin
Democratic Party of Wisconsin
stated on May 4, 2016 a radio ad
Says Ron Johnson "supported a plan to cut benefits and raise the retirement age" for Social Security. 
Mostly False
July 13, 2016
Russ Feingold
Russ Feingold
stated on May 9, 2016 a news conference
Says Ron Johnson justifies his support of trade agreements by saying the U.S. has the Trade Adjustment Assistance program for displaced workers, but then he "voted to eliminate it."
Mostly False
By Jonathan Anderson • July 6, 2016
Russ Feingold
Russ Feingold
stated on June 3, 2016 a speech
Says Ron Johnson referred to "The Lego Movie" as an "insidious anti-business conspiracy."
Half-True
By Eric Litke • June 24, 2016
Democratic Party of Wisconsin
Democratic Party of Wisconsin
stated on May 4, 2016 a radio ad
Says Ron Johnson voted to turn Medicare "into a voucher program."
Mostly True
June 10, 2016
Russ Feingold
Russ Feingold
stated on January 26, 2016 an interview
Says U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson wants to put 100,000 troops, including 25,000 Americans, "into the area where ISIS is."
Half-True
January 29, 2016
Russ Feingold
Russ Feingold
stated on November 12, 2015 an interview
"Ron Johnson said specifically that he hopes the first steps occur to privatize the" Veterans Administration.  
Half-True
November 27, 2015
Russ Feingold
Russ Feingold
stated on August 18, 2015 a speech
Says Ron Johnson "opposes entirely a federal minimum wage," except perhaps for "guest workers."
True
August 27, 2015
Russ Feingold
Russ Feingold
stated on June 5, 2015 a speech
Says U.S. Senate opponent Ron Johnson "is opposed to all government-assisted student loans."
Mostly True
June 19, 2015
Democratic Party of Wisconsin
Democratic Party of Wisconsin
stated on June 12, 2014 a Facebook post
"He’s been in office nearly four years now, but 40% of Wisconsinites don't know who (U.S. Sen.) Ron Johnson is."
Mostly False
July 2, 2014
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