WISCONSIN — The U.S. senator from Wisconsin known for making unverified claims about the 2020 election and COVID-19 pandemic announced Sunday that he will run for a third term.
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), who was first elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2016, said it was "not a decision I have made lightly," adding in a statement that he has been the target of false attacks.
Johnson has been criticized for repeating unverified claims and misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic, including in a Wednesday Newsmax segment in which he claimed falsely that ivermectin, a cattle dewormer, and hydroxychloroquine, an immunosuppressive drug first touted by former President Donald Trump, could treat illness from the coronavirus.
Ivermectin isn't approved to treat people or animals for COVID-19, the Food and Drug Adminstration said in a statement. Hydroxychloroquine hasn't been found to decrease the likelihood of death or to speed up recovery from COVID-19, federal officials and others have said.
Johnson also claimed that gargling mouthwash could kill the virus, he said in a town hall meeting in December. Mouthwash brand Listerine responded in a statement that its antiseptic wasn't intended to prevent or treat COVID-19 and should be used only as directed on its label.
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