All articles tagged with #party line votes
Representative Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin's early departure from Congress will leave the House Republicans with just a one-vote majority over the Democrats, allowing them to afford only a single defection from the party line on votes when all members are present. This comes after the unexpected exit of Representative Ken Buck of Colorado earlier this month, highlighting Republican disarray and division.
The resignation of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, along with other expected resignations and the recent expulsion of a former Republican representative, highlights the challenges faced by the slim House GOP majority. The GOP majority could shrink to the point where they can only afford to lose two votes on any party-line measure, depending on the timing of resignations, special elections, and the outcome of the upcoming New York special election. The slim majority increases the significance of member absences and "present" votes, and it also raises concerns about potential party-line votes on impeachment articles against President Biden. McCarthy's resignation will not immediately change the majority cushion, but future vacancies and special elections could further impact the majority math.