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Mike Johnson is facing a new challenge as he now has the smallest House majority in history. Despite remaining the Republican speaker, he will have to lead with a smaller majority, just as President-elect Donald J. Trump will rely on his support to push forward key agenda items.
Written by Catie Edmondson
Covering news from the seat
The margin of victory for Speaker Mike Johnson has decreased.
The last House race was officially decided on Tuesday evening when Representative John Duarte, a new Republican, admitted defeat to Democrat Adam Gray. This victory solidified the Republican majority in the House with a narrow margin of 220-215, which is even tighter than their current margin of 220-213.
The margins will decrease even more in January when Representatives Elise Stefanik from New York and Mike Waltz from Florida step down to work in the Trump administration. Former Representative Matt Gaetz from Florida has also announced that he will not be coming back.
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 stand together against a proposal, Mr. Johnson cannot afford to lose any votes until the vacant seats are filled. Even after that, only three Republicans can vote against a bill without it failing to pass.
On Wednesday, Mr. Johnson appeared unconcerned about the situation and assured reporters on Capitol Hill that his team is experienced in working with a slim majority, which is something they are accustomed to.
He stated that they do not have any extra resources to offer, but all of their members are aware of this. They discussed the importance of teamwork and the need for everyone to work together towards the same goals.
He didn’t talk about how he achieved success in dealing with a small majority by working with Democrats to pass essential laws that his party didn’t back. This strategy might not work in the future when President-elect Donald J. Trump is in office.
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