Mike Gallagher to leave House early in blow to Speaker Johnson’s GOP majority

[mystery-ak]

Mike Gallagher to leave House early in blow to Speaker Johnson’s GOP majority
By
Cami Mondeaux
March 22, 2024 2:24 pm
.

Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) will retire from the House months before his term ends next year, setting up a scenario in which House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) could have a one-seat majority.

Gallagher will step down effective April 19, making him the latest in a string of Republicans who have announced they would leave the House early and further narrowing the party’s slim control in the lower chamber. Gallagher’s departure also deals a blow to GOP leadership because the Wisconsin Republican sits as the chairman of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.

“Four terms serving Northeast Wisconsin in Congress has been the honor of a lifetime and strengthened my conviction that America is the greatest country in the history of the world,” Gallagher said in a statement. “I will forever be proud of the work I did on the Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, chairing the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, and chairing the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.”

Gallagher’s departure will bring a math problem for Johnson as the chamber seeks to fill a slew of other vacancies announced over the last few months. As of next week, there are four empty seats vacated by Reps. Kevin McCarthy, Bill Johnson, Brian Higgins, and Ken Buck, whose last day in office was Friday.

With Gallagher’s absence, that brings the Republicans’ majority to 217-213 as of April 19. That will be further narrowed for Republicans after the special election for Higgins, which is expected to favor Democrats, bringing their majority to just 217-214, meaning Republicans can only afford to lose one vote on any given measure to pass the lower chamber.

This story is developing and will be updated.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/house/2934364/mike-gallagher-leave-house-early-narrowing-republicans-majority/

[Right_in_Virginia]

The Paul Ryan strategy is in full swing.   

[DefiantMassRINO]

The MAGA's wanted their way or the highway ... it looks like the House GOP is getting closer to the highway.

MAGA's need to learn to play well with others.  After so many MAGA tantrums, people will begin to ignore their histrionics ... and the MAGA's.

[Lando Lincoln]

I have seldom been so disappointed. Something unknown has forced this change.

[libertybele]

The Paul Ryan strategy is in full swing.   

It sure seems like it.

[libertybele]

The MAGA's wanted their way or the highway ... it looks like the House GOP is getting closer to the highway.

MAGA's need to learn to play well with others.  After so many MAGA tantrums, people will begin to ignore their histrionics ... and the MAGA's.

So @DefiantMassRINO  any suggestions?  What do you think allowing 30,000,000 ILLEGALS in addition to those already here into this country is going to do?  We are already witnessing tent cities, rapes, murders, burglaries and squatters taking over people's homes.  Some are even being asked to open up their homes to ILLEGALS.  When it comes your way you may sing a different tune.

We need border security period.  This was one way that may have given this country the border we desperately need to retain our sovereignty.  Without it our Republic will fall.

Why is this becoming a MAGA or Trump issue?  This is an AMERICAN issue and ALL Americans should be very concerned.

[libertybele]

I have seldom been so disappointed. Something unknown has forced this change.

I have thought that as well; perhaps those leaving see the writing on the wall and have just given up and do not want to be held responsible (at least in their minds) for the inevitable demise of our country.

[DefiantMassRINO]

I want the Border Closed ASAP, but, a Dem majority or a GOP-Dem powersharing agreement is less likely to do it.

Removing Mike Johnson will not advance the cause of closing Joe Biden's Open Border.

I'd vote against the $1.2 trillion.

Frame every issue as Biden prefers Open Borders over funding a solution:

- funding the Federal Government.
- funding Ukraine.
- funding Taiwan.
- funding Israel.

Make Joe Biden's Open Borders an albatross hung around every Dem Reps' and Senator's neck.

Make DHS and DOJ criminally and civilly prosecute employers who hire illegal migrants or hire contractors who employ illegal migrants.

The House GOP needs to put its migration requests in writing, and stick to that list.  The House GOP has the leverage (power of the purse) and the moral high ground on the immigration issue.

Dem House candidates are most vulnerable on the Immigration issue.

GOP might be able to snipe a couple of Senate seats running candidates, not selected or pre-emptively endorsed by Trump, using the Immigration issue.

Americans don't like being second class citizens in their own country.  Americans don't like tax increases to pay for migrants who should not be in the country.  Americans don't like the Government letting illegal migrants cut in line for benefits and services.

The GOP House needs to codify into Federal Law that undocumented migrants and assylum applicants must remain outside the United States until their cases are adjudicated - end Catch and Release.  Also, unspent Federal highway funds can be withheld or withdrawn from states that provide Drivers Licenses for unadjudicated migrants and assylum seekers.

The GOP House leadership needs to stop letting White House and Senate Dems dictate the narrative.

House GOP immigration legislation should not be dictated by Donald Trump, Joe Biden, or US Senate.

Joe Biden's Open Border policy is not defensible.  He'll have to cave or risk losing more seats in House and Senate.

The House GOP needs to stop playing defense, and to go on the offensive.

[kevindavis007]

The Paul Ryan strategy is in full swing.   

What does Paul Ryan have to do with the current crap fest in the house?

[libertybele]

I want the Border Closed ASAP, but, a Dem majority or a GOP-Dem powersharing agreement is less likely to do it.

Removing Mike Johnson will not advance the cause of closing Joe Biden's Open Border.

I'd vote against the $1.2 trillion.

Frame every issue as Biden prefers Open Borders over funding a solution:

- funding the Federal Government.
- funding Ukraine.
- funding Taiwan.
- funding Israel.

Make Joe Biden's Open Borders an albatross hung around every Dem Reps' and Senator's neck.

Make DHS and DOJ criminally and civilly prosecute employers who hire illegal migrants or hire contractors who employ illegal migrants.

The House GOP needs to put its migration requests in writing, and stick to that list.  The House GOP has the leverage (power of the purse) and the moral high ground on the immigration issue.

Dem House candidates are most vulnerable on the Immigration issue.

GOP might be able to snipe a couple of Senate seats running candidates, not selected or pre-emptively endorsed by Trump, using the Immigration issue.

Americans don't like being second class citizens in their own country.  Americans don't like tax increases to pay for migrants who should not be in the country.  Americans don't like the Government letting illegal migrants cut in line for benefits and services.

The GOP House needs to codify into Federal Law that undocumented migrants and assylum applicants must remain outside the United States until their cases are adjudicated - end Catch and Release.  Also, unspent Federal highway funds can be withheld or withdrawn from states that provide Drivers Licenses for unadjudicated migrants and assylum seekers.

The GOP House leadership needs to stop letting White House and Senate Dems dictate the narrative.

House GOP immigration legislation should not be dictated by Donald Trump, Joe Biden, or US Senate.

Joe Biden's Open Border policy is not defensible.  He'll have to cave or risk losing more seats in House and Senate.

The House GOP needs to stop playing defense, and to go on the offensive.

???? We have existing immigration laws that aren't being followed.  Again, as I brought up several times, The Secure Fence Act of 2006 was signed into law, but the House has not funded the wall to be fully built.

As Biden's policies remain in place, we continue to see the GOP bail out.

Some in the House were trying to play defense -- Johnson caved. So much for defense.

Border security should NOT be a political issue -- it is an American issue.  Our country is being invaded.  Closing our borders should be a non-issue.  The gov't should protect this country.  I don't know of any other country that continues to allow their country to be invaded.  Even the Dominican Republic has closed its borders and are not allowing those trying to enter from Haiti. Yet here we sit.

Have you visited the "Immigration" thread in this forum??? @rangerrebew has done a great job of keeping us informed of the crisis at our borders.

[Fishrrman]

Miss me yet...?

[mountaineer]

LAURA INGRAHAM: The GOP is committing a slow suicide
Rep Mike Gallagher announced early exit for April 19, which would leave Republicans with temporary one-seat majority
By Fox News Staff Fox News
Published March 23, 2024 8:33am EDT

Fox News host Laura Ingraham on Friday warned the shrinking Republican majority in the House of Representatives could hand the Democrats the gavel on "The Ingraham Angle."

LAURA INGRAHAM: This pains me to say this: Thanks, Mike [Gallagher]. Hope future Speaker Hakeem Jeffries sent you a nice fruit basket today. Now, how else are people supposed to interpret this move except a spiteful and maybe some kind of revenge play?

Really? And they think Trump is the problem? At least he stays in the arena despite what they're doing to him. While Trump is the party's presumptive nominee, Gallagher, and I didn't even know this until today, would not even commit to attending the Republican National Convention that is happening in his home state. It's going to bring a huge amount of money to the state this summer. He claimed, there's a lot of things he needs to do. Give me a break. Well, since he quit I guess he's free now. Pulling a John Kasich, who also skipped the RNC in Cleveland in 2016, his home state. That was pathetic. ...

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