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Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) painted a bleak picture of the diminishing GOP majority following the announcement of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) resignation by the end of the month. In a message posted on X (formerly Twitter), Greene expressed concern about the party’s future, projecting a slim one-seat majority in the House of Representatives by 2024.
She credited the House Freedom Caucus for one aspect of the situation and pointed to the expulsion of former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) with the support of 105 Republicans and almost all Democrats as contributing to the challenges facing the GOP.
McCarthy, the first Speaker to be ousted in October, explained in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that he would be leaving the House by the end of the year to “serve America in new ways,” emphasizing that his work was far from over. This departure followed his removal as Speaker, triggering a month-long period of Republican infighting as the party sought to rally behind a single candidate.
With an increasing number of lawmakers opting not to seek reelection or pursuing different roles, McCarthy’s resignation further narrows the GOP majority in the House, especially after the recent expulsion of Santos. After McCarthy steps down, Republicans will have a slim margin, allowing only three defections to pass party-line legislation. Additionally, Representative Bill Johnson (R-Ohio) plans to step down in the first quarter of the next year to assume the role of president at Youngstown State University.