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Mike Johnson is facing a challenge as the Republican speaker with the smallest majority in history in the House. Despite maintaining control, he will lead with a smaller majority during a crucial time when President-elect Donald J. Trump will rely on his support to accomplish key goals.
Written by Catie Edmondson
Reporting live from the seat of
The margin of victory for Speaker Mike Johnson has decreased even further, making his majority even more precarious.
The last House race was decided on Tuesday night when Representative John Duarte from California, a new Republican member, accepted defeat to Democrat Adam Gray. This solidified a 220-215 majority for the Republicans, which is even narrower than their current 220-213 majority.
The margins will decrease more in January when Elise Stefanik and Mike Waltz, Representatives from New York and Florida, respectively, leave their positions to work in the Trump administration. Additionally, Matt Gaetz, a former Representative from Florida, has announced that he will not be coming back.
The Republican majority in the House will decrease to 217-215, which is one of the smallest margins in history. If all Democrats are present and united in their opposition, Mr. Johnson cannot afford any Republicans to defect until the vacant seats are filled. Even after the vacancies are filled, only three Republicans can go against the party without causing a bill to fail.
During an interview on Wednesday, Mr. Johnson appeared unconcerned about the situation and assured reporters that his team is experienced in working with a small majority and it is something they are accustomed to.
He stated that they do not have any extra resources to give. All members are aware of this and it was discussed during their meeting today. It is emphasized that everyone must work together towards a common goal.
He succeeded in handling a small majority by working with Democrats to pass important bills that his own party did not support. However, this strategy may not work in the future when President-elect Donald J. Trump is in office.
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