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Mike Johnson is facing a new challenge as the Republican speaker with the smallest House majority in history. Despite maintaining control of the House, he will now lead an even smaller majority during a time when President-elect Donald J. Trump will rely on his support to push forward important agenda items.
Written by Catie Edmondson
Reporting live from the government building
The margin of victory for Speaker Mike Johnson has decreased.
The final House race was determined on Tuesday night when Representative John Duarte of California, a new Republican member, accepted defeat to Democrat Adam Gray. This solidified a 220-215 majority for Republicans, which is even narrower than their current 220-213 majority.
In January, the margins will decrease even more as Representatives Elise Stefanik of New York and Mike Waltz of Florida step down to join the Trump administration. Additionally, former Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida has announced he will not be returning.
The Republicans will have a slim majority of 217-215 in the House, which is one of the smallest margins in history. If all Democrats are present and united against a proposal, Mr. Johnson will not be able to have any Republicans defect on the House floor until vacancies are filled in the spring. Even after that, only up to three Republicans can go against the party without causing a bill to fail.
On Wednesday, Mr. Johnson appeared unconcerned about the situation and assured reporters on Capitol Hill that they are experienced in working with a small majority, as it is something they are familiar with.
He emphasized that there is no extra resources available. However, all members are aware of this and it is a topic that is regularly discussed. The focus is on teamwork and collaboration, with everyone needing to work together towards the same goal.
He didn’t talk about how he achieved success in leading a small majority. He worked with Democrats to get important laws passed when his own party wouldn’t support them. However, this strategy may not work in the future when Donald J. Trump becomes President and the next Congress is in session.
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