Republicans in the US House of Representatives will likely see their razor-thin majority shrink in 2024, as unplanned departures trim their numbers even further heading into the presidential election.
Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio) quietly announced this week he would resign his seat next year in favor of more lucrative pursuits in his home state.
“After much thought and prayerful deliberation, I have accepted the offer to lead Youngstown State University and will not be seeking an 8th term in Congress.” John wrote in an X posting this week. “This was an extremely difficult decision. This is not a goodbye, however. I will continue serving in the House for several more months, and you will see no let up. My offices are open and my staff remains ready to serve you.”
Johnson, 69, has been in Congress since 2011.
His new gig will pay $410,000 annually — a significant improvement on the $174,000 yearly salary he earns as a member of Congress.
He would have to start by March 15, the local news website Mahoning Matters reported — and the timing of his departure could complicate the effort to replace him in the reliably Republican seat.
If Johnson submits a resignation letter by Dec. 20, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine could schedule special election to coincide with the March 2024 primaries. But if his official resignation comes later, the seat could remain vacant until the November elections, as a cost saving measure, local outlet WMFJ reported.
More headaches for the GOP are on the horizon on Long Island, where disgraced Rep. George Santos is facing another effort to expel him from office next week. Santos is facing federal fraud charges and has publicly admitted to fabricating large parts of his personal and professional history.
Last week House Ethics Committee Chairman Michael Guest (R-Miss.) introduced a privileged resolution to throw Santos out of the chamber after his committee released a damning ethics report, revealing how the congressman spent campaign cash on botox, OnlyFans and other personal expenses. Other efforts to expel Santos have failed, but many are confident this time his opponents have the votes to get the job done.
If Santos goes, Gov. Hochul will call a special election — which Democrats are widely expected to win.
House Speaker Mike Johnson only controls a five seat majority, one of the narrowest in history. Any early GOP departures will make it that much more difficult for him to corral his famously rambunctious colleagues.
“The GOP majority going down just two members mean it becomes even more difficult for Speaker Johnson to run the House. He has to give concessions to conservatives without isolating Republicans in Biden districts. It’s a high wire act that is going to involve him continuing to lean on Democrats to avoid future shutdown,” said GOP strategist Ryan Girdusky.