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| USA President Donald Trump |
Washington DC - The House Republican majority, already operating on a slim margin, is preparing for further challenges as several members prepare to join former President Trump's administration, triggering a series of special elections that could temporarily reduce their working majority even further.
House Speaker Mike Johnson announced Wednesday that he has contacted Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to initiate the special election process, estimating it will take approximately eight weeks to fill the upcoming vacancy. Johnson expressed hope that the seat can be filled by January 3, 2025, when the new session begins.
The situation highlights the precarious nature of the GOP's current 220-seat majority, which provides only a four-seat cushion for passing legislation. This narrow margin has already proved challenging for Republicans over the past two years, most notably during the dramatic ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy in October 2023.
"If (a nominee) is going to endanger the majority, he will pull it," stated Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, addressing concerns about the tight numbers.
DeSantis will oversee the special election process for Rep. Michael Waltz's seat, while New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, will have up to 80 days to schedule a special election once Rep. Elise Stefanik resigns. While all three departing members represent reliably Republican districts, the interim period could further compress the GOP's already thin margins.
"Obviously we will have a very tight majority as we've had in this Congress," said Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), who represents a moderate district in New York's suburbs. "We're going to need to work together and work through these issues. On party line votes, it's going to be very tight."
House Republicans are planning to implement rules changes to prevent individual members from creating chaos, though these changes still require formal approval in January. Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Wisc.), a member of the House Freedom Caucus, expressed optimism about party unity moving forward: "We have a new leader. We have a unified government. I think everybody understands Donald Trump's the president and we're going to fall in line."
The stakes are particularly high this time, as the House's ability to function effectively could determine whether conservative policies become law or fall victim to legislative gridlock. Each member's attendance and health becomes crucial in such a narrow majority, though Rep. Cole takes a pragmatic view: "It is what it is. You can't worry about that."
