House Republicans’ already-slim majority will dwindle even further later this month when Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio) resigns earlier than expected.
Johnson’s office on Tuesday confirmed the congressman’s new official resignation date of Jan. 21, after he was expected to resign to take a job as president of Youngstown State University before mid-March.
The resignation will leave the House with 219 Republicans, 213 Democrats, and three vacancies — meaning Republicans will be able to afford to lose only two votes on any party-line measure, assuming full attendance.
Currently, the Republicans have a three-vote cushion, with the resignation of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Dec. 31 and the expulsion of former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) accounting for the two other vacancies.
That razor-thin majority cushion could further complicate the path forward for major legislation and government funding as the clock ticks down to a two-tiered government funding deadline.
Part of government funding is set to expire Jan. 19, and Johnson’s resignation will come before the second Feb. 2 deadline.
An upcoming special election and another expected resignation will further affect the exact House GOP majority number.