House GOP 'Could End Up Having A Speaker Hakeem Jeffries In The Interim Here,' Says NY Republican Amid Diminishing Majority

The GOP’s majority in the House is dwindling, sparking fears of a potential Democratic takeover, which could see Speaker Hakeem Jeffries at the helm.

What Happened: Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.) expressed concerns on Monday about the diminishing House GOP majority, The Hill reported on Monday. The imminent departure of Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) next month threatens the current 218-213 majority, reducing the GOP’s lead to a mere four seats.

In a Fox News interview, Tenney voiced her fears, saying, “We’re perilous. We could end up having a Speaker Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) in the interim here while we’re waiting for special elections.”

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) criticized Gallagher’s resignation timing, which leaves his seat vacant until next January. Greene suggested expelling Gallagher before his retirement, though this proposal lacks support.

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Three of the four current vacant seats were occupied by Republicans. The seat of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) will be filled in a late May special election, while those of former Reps. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio) and Ken Buck (R-Colo.) will be filled in June. The vacant seat of former Rep. Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.) is likely to be filled by a Democrat in a special election on Apr. 30, leaving the GOP with a precarious two-seat margin in May.

This slim majority could potentially fall to Democrats due to daily absences or a single lawmaker siding with the opposition. The current margin has already put the GOP at risk as momentum grows to remove Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), an effort also led by Greene.

Why It Matters: The GOP’s majority is threatened by internal discord. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) has expressed dissatisfaction with the GOP’s direction under former President Donald Trump, hinting at a possible exit from the party.

Greene has also called out the GOP majority’s strategy on government spending and border security as a “complete failure.”

Greene’s move to oust Speaker Johnson has been met with criticism from fellow Republicans, who warn that it could further divide the already fractured GOP conference.

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