McCarthy’s departure emphasizes House GO’Between God, gravity, indictments, and retirements, we’re one day away from losing the majority,’ Rep Mike Garcia warns.
House Republicans are entering the new year concerned about their shrinking majority in the aftermath of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s announced departure.
McCarthy, R-Calif., announced his intention to depart Congress at the end of the month after being deposed as speaker two months ago. It follows the expulsion of scandal-plagued Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y.
For the first several weeks of the new year, House Republicans will only be allowed to lose three votes on any measure to pass it without Democratic votes, until special elections bring in new members and change the margins yet again.
“I mean, we’re operating on razor-thin margins here,” California Rep. Mike Garcia told Fox News Digital. “Between God, gravity, indictments, and retirements, we’re one day away from losing the majority depending on what happens.”
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GOP Conference Vice Chair Blake Moore, R-Utah, acknowledged that the numbers were tight, but contended that it was not significantly different from their current predicament.
“It’s difficult to operate in a four-seat [majority] and a two-seat [majority].” “We have to be careful with what we do and do something that we can all agree on,” Moore remarked.
Others, however, reiterated Garcia’s fears that the House’s tiny majority would imply that any single member’s absence would be significant when the House was in session.
Republican Study Committee Chair Kevin Hern, R-Okla., said he didn’t think it would make a difference “from a policy standpoint,” but added, “I just think it’d be difficult from an attendance standpoint.”
Conservatives such as Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, advised GOP leaders not to make compromises to Democrats in order to pass legislation until the House’s numbers changed.
“It’s going to be tight…However, we’ve dealt with it before, and I believe Speaker Johnson is doing an outstanding job of keeping everyone together. “And, to be honest, I think people will realize how important it is to stick together,” Self said.
“What I don’t want to see are legislation brought to the floor that receive more Democratic votes than Republican votes. No, that is not a viable option.
