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Mike Johnson is facing a new challenge as the Republican speaker with the smallest House majority in history. Although he managed to retain control of the House, he will now have to lead an even smaller majority during a crucial time when President-elect Donald J. Trump will rely on his support to push through key agenda items.
Written by Catie Edmondson
Reporting live from the government building
The margin of victory for Speaker Mike Johnson has decreased.
The last House race was decided on Tuesday when Representative John Duarte, a new Republican, accepted defeat to Adam Gray, a Democrat, solidifying a narrow 220-215 majority for Republicans in the House. This majority is even smaller than their current one, which stands at 220-213.
In January, the margins will decrease even more as 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.
With the resignation of Representative Ron Wright, Republicans will have a narrow majority of 217-215 in the House of Representatives, matching the smallest controlling margin in history. If all Democrats oppose a bill, Representative Johnson cannot afford any Republican defections until vacancies are filled. Even after new members are sworn in, only three Republicans can vote against a bill without it failing.
Mr. Johnson appeared calm and unconcerned about the situation on Wednesday, stating to journalists at Capitol Hill that they are experienced in working with a small majority and it is something they are used to.
He stated: "We don’t have anything extra to give. However, all our members are aware of this. We discussed it today, as we always do – emphasizing that teamwork is essential and we all need to work together towards the same goal."
It was not mentioned that a significant part of his ability to navigate a small majority over the past year was due to working with Democrats to pass essential legislation that his own party did not support. However, this strategy may not be possible in the upcoming Congress with President-elect Donald J. Trump in office.
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