The Republican House is imploding this weekend
When longtime House Republican Ken Buck abruptly resigned in disgust and warned us that more such exits were coming, it wasn’t clear at the time if he was just being cynical or if he knew something specific. Now we’re starting to get that answer – and it isn’t pretty.
As Ken Buck’s final day in Congress was playing out yesterday, his fellow House Republican Mike Gallagher suddenly announced that he’s retiring next month. Then House Republican Kay Granger, who’s set to retire at the end of the term, announced that she’s giving up her committee chair position.
Now the Republicans have to worry that Granger could end up retiring from Congress early, just as Buck did. But even if Granger does finish out her term, Gallagher’s departure means that the House Republican majority will at least temporarily shrink to just one seat.
Yes, that’s one seat. We’re now in that territory where if one more House Republican retires (or steps away due to illness etc) at the wrong time, there will no longer be a House Republican majority. We’d get into that murky place where House Democrats would theoretically have as much claim to the Speakership as House Republicans, and both parties would end up submitting candidates for Speaker.
In such a scenario, House Democrats would unite behind Hakeem Jeffries, while House Republicans would likely squabble from within as usual – which could open the door for Jeffries. We’re heading into interesting territory to put it mildly.
