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Mike Johnson is facing a new challenge as he now has the smallest House majority in history. Despite remaining as the Republican speaker, he will lead a House with a smaller majority during a crucial time when President-elect Donald J. Trump will rely on his assistance to push through important agenda items.
Written by Catie Edmondson
Providing coverage from the seat
The margin of Speaker Mike Johnson’s lead has decreased even further.
The final House race was decided on Tuesday night when Representative John Duarte of California, a new Republican member, accepted defeat to Democrat Adam Gray. This solidified a narrow 220-215 majority for the Republicans, which is even tighter than their current majority of 220-213.
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 indicated that he will not be coming back.
With the departure of two Republican representatives, the House majority will decrease to 217-215, which is one of the smallest margins in history. If all Democrats oppose a measure, Mr. Johnson will need every Republican present and in agreement to secure its passage. Even after the vacancies are filled, only a maximum of three Republicans can vote against a bill without risking its failure.
On Wednesday, Mr. Johnson appeared unconcerned about the situation and assured reporters on Capitol Hill that they are accustomed to working with a small majority.
He mentioned that there are no extra resources available. However, all members are aware of this. They discussed this today, as they frequently do, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and unity in working towards a common goal.
It was left unsaid that a significant portion of his ability to navigate a small majority in the past year was due to collaborating with Democrats to pass essential legislation that his own party opposed. This strategy may not be feasible in the upcoming Congress with President-elect Donald J. Trump leading the country.
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