The slender majority that Home Republicans have loved this session is dwindling by the day.
Rep. Mike Gallagher, one of many few Republicans to object to the impeachment of Homeland Safety Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, introduced on Friday that he’d be leaving Congress earlier than his time period is full, in accordance with the Home Press Gallery. In an announcement, Gallagher stated he’d go away workplace on April 19.
A number of different Republican members have additionally introduced in current months that they’d be leaving the Home. A few of them cited dysfunction throughout the Republican Social gathering because the perpetrator for his or her determination.
“This place simply retains going downhill, and I need not spend my time right here,” Rep. Ken Buck of Colorado stated earlier this month following his announcement that he was stepping down efficient March 22. The congressman was elected to workplace in 2014.
Buck’s departure adopted bulletins from a number of Republican committee chairs — Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington, and Rep. Mark Inexperienced of Tennessee, and Rep. Kay Granger of Texas — that they, too, have been leaving Congress.
Remaining and departing members alike have complained concerning the political gridlock and lack of productiveness this session. The Republican majority censured three Democratic lawmakers and noticed upheaval with the ousting of Home Speaker Kevin McCarthy. There was additionally a good quantity of political theater across the expulsion of GOP Rep. George Santos of New York, whose personal departure opened a potential seat for Democrats in 2024.
After the 2022 election cycle, the GOP anticipated a “crimson wave” however solely gained the bulk by 9 seats. Whereas each events have seen departures this session, Republicans are actually only one seat away from dropping that majority altogether.
