Staff Reports
President-elect Donald Trump is basking in the glory of a significant electoral victory, capturing the popular vote and racking up an impressive 312 Electoral College votes last month. Meanwhile, House Republicans are left picking up the pieces of a less-than-stellar performance, threatening to turn Trump’s victory lap into a sprint away from trouble as losses in Congress weigh on the party’s credibility.
The most recent casualty in this Republican struggle was John Duarte, who was ousted by challenger Adam Gray in California’s 13th District. This loss leaves Republicans with a mere 220 seats in the House, just five more than the Democrats’ 215. In a twist that feels almost scripted for a political drama, House Speaker Mike Johnson has pointed out that another three Republicans are slated to exit come January, diluting the GOP’s squeeze on power even further.
@SpeakerJohnson is about to have a 1-2 seat majority in the House. The current Congress is the most ineffective in history. Imagine how useless the House will be with only a one or two seat majority? Trump and Johnson will get nothing passed and @HakeemJeffries is only two… pic.twitter.com/O1i6ybdCnx
— Tony Gray (@ABGray) November 30, 2024
Johnson’s reassurance about the party’s ability to govern with a shrinking majority comes off more like wishful thinking than a robust strategy. With redistricting and gerrymandering allegedly working against them in deep blue states, the Speaker insists that the GOP knows how to cope with what they’ve got, even if it’s barely enough to call it an advantage. His confident tone seems a tad out of place given that his party’s fragile grip on the House could soon slip if urgency is not addressed.
Among those packing up their desks are the likes of Elise Stefanik from New York and Mike Waltz from Florida, both selected by Trump to take on prominent roles in his administration. The New York congresswoman has been nominated as the United Nations ambassador, and Waltz has been tapped as the National Security Adviser. Their departures might lead to one of the slimmest majorities in history, leaving Johnson essentially managing a game of political musical chairs where there are more chairs than players.
Former Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz also recently exited stage left, resigning after being nominated for attorney general, only to bow out before the confirmation process even got underway. The exodus of these key players is raising eyebrows and concerns within the GOP, especially as they dig in for what could be a tumultuous few months. Will House GOP members paddle together, or will they instead capsize under the weight of a record-setting minority? It appears that unless they can find a way to rally their ranks, they may well find themselves fumbling their way through the next legislative session with more questions than answers.
