BREAKING: GOP House Majority In Grave Danger After Unexpected Exit

U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI), who announced his retirement earlier this year, has provided an update stating that he will be resigning in the coming weeks as opposed to finishing out his term. Gallagher’s abrupt exit will once again shrink the slim Republican majority in the House, which has continued to decline due to early retirements and the expulsion of Rep. George Santos (R-NY).

“After conversations with my family, I have made the decision to resign my position as a member of the House of Representatives for Wisconsin’s Eighth Congressional District, effective April 19, 2024,” Gallagher, who currently chairs the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, announced in a press release Friday.

“I’ve worked closely with House Republican leadership on this timeline and look forward to seeing Speaker Johnson appoint a new chair to carry out the important mission of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. My office will continue to operate and provide constituent services to the Eighth District for the remainder of the term,” the statement continued.

Gallagher announced his retirement in February after he faced significant backlash for voting against a motion to impeach Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The motion was later approved when Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) returned from a medical absence and served as the deciding vote.

The Wisconsin congressman’s exit will leave the chamber with 217 Republicans and 213 Democrats. This means that even if Republicans vote along party lines, they could only afford one defector or absent member in order to pass legislation.

The already narrow margin was trimmed by one member when Rep. George Santos (R-NY) was expelled from Congress in an unprecedented move. Santos — who was expelled after a months-long effort led by fellow Republicans in his home state — was ousted over corruption allegations despite the fact that he has not been convicted of a crime.

The seat was ultimately flipped by Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) a former congressman who returned to Washington after winning a special election earlier this year.

In addition to the expulsion of Santos, a number of Republicans had previously announced early exits prior to Gallagher’s announcement. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy resigned at the end of the year rather than seeing out his term, while Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) will be resigning from office effective today.

Rep. Bill Johnson (R-OH) also announced his early resignation earlier this year in order to accept a position at Youngstown State University.

All three districts lean heavily Republican, though the House will need to wait for special elections in order to fill the seats, leaving them with a slim majority in the meantime. McCarthy’s seat will be filled in May, while the special election for Johnson’s seat will take place in June.

Buck’s seat will also be filled prior to the end of the term, though Rep. Gallagher’s seat will remain vacant until November.