House Republicans brace for spring legislative sprint with one less GOP vote

The House of Representatives is backmost successful convention for 4 weeks consecutive connected Monday aft a little recess — and for House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., it will beryllium nan commencement of a legislative sprint pinch 1 little reliable House GOP vote.

Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., who was regarded arsenic a rising Republican star, shocked moreover immoderate of his colleagues erstwhile he announced past period that he would time off Congress earlier nan extremity of his term. The House announced his charismatic departure connected Friday.

Due to nan timing of his retirement, his spot will not beryllium filled until nan adjacent legislature word successful January 2025.

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House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., left, is starting nan adjacent legislative sprint pinch 1 little reliable GOP ballot aft Wisconsin Rep. Mike Gallagher's Friday retirement. (Getty Images)

Johnson's nationalist remarks and moreover activity decisions person reflected that he's keenly alert of nan historically slim two-seat separator he's been dealing with. 

It's apt to get moreover smaller sometime complete nan adjacent respective weeks — astatine slightest for a time. 

The typical predetermination to switch retired Rep. Brian Higgins, D-N.Y., successful New York's 26th Congressional District is Tuesday. The heavy municipality spot skews successful favour of Democrats; President Biden won nan Buffalo-area territory by astir 30 points successful 2020.

House GOP leaders are expected to get immoderate alleviation successful precocious May, erstwhile 2 Republicans moving to switch ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., face-off successful a typical runoff election. McCarthy near nan House astatine nan extremity of past year, but nary campaigner was capable to unafraid a mostly ballot successful nan March title to switch him — by California authorities law, it triggers a runoff.

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Gallagher stunned moreover immoderate of his colleagues erstwhile he announced his early status past month. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

But if Higgins' aged spot stays successful Democratic hands, it's apt Johnson will person to navigate astatine slightest portion of this four-week stint pinch conscionable a one-vote majority. That intends he'd only beryllium capable to suffer 1 Republican lawmaker connected immoderate party-line vote.

A House GOP adjutant who said pinch Fox News Digital, however, downplayed imaginable concerns. They based on that Johnson has already successfully ushered done astir captious authorities coming successful nan adjacent future, prevention for nan reauthorization of nan Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), nan deadline for which is May 10.

"Absent nan FAA reauthorization, which will walk later this year, Speaker Johnson has done nan occupation entrusted to him," nan House GOP adjutant argued. 

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"While his mostly whitethorn shrink pinch different GOP resignation, he's already won nan reliable legislative battles. Any dysfunction moving guardant falls squarely connected those who garbage to govern and for illustration to complain."

The adjutant was referencing members of nan ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus and their allies, who person wielded outsized power complete nan House GOP's bladed mostly by voting successful mini blocs to termination aliases artifact Republican leaders' authorities successful protestation of their handling of captious matters for illustration authorities spending and overseas aid.

The group has already signaled that they're putting up a conflict complete different coming legislative conflict — backing nan reconstruction of nan Francis Scott Key Bridge successful Baltimore. 

It's imaginable that Congress will contend pinch its domiciled successful backing nan reconstruction of nan Francis Scott Key Bridge successful nan coming weeks. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

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The Freedom Caucus put retired a connection earlier this period demanding that immoderate backing allocated by Congress beryllium offset by spending cuts elsewhere, and that nan costs would solely attraction connected span reconstruction.

It's not instantly clear erstwhile a backing measure could return style aliases really overmuch leverage conservatives have, fixed nan beardown bipartisan support it's expected to receive. But GOP rebels are expected to springiness Johnson a difficult clip if he tries to walk it done accepted mechanisms that trust solely connected party-line votes.