The Republican majority in the House has steadily eroded over the past year and a half, leaving them with only a single-vote margin and at risk of losing control to Democrats before the November elections.
Several GOP retirements due to intra-party disputes, as well as the vote to expel a member before trial, reduced their ranks.
This narrow majority has led to chaos, with two changes in House Speaker already.
In the Senate, the set of seats contested this year are in extremely favourable states for Republicans. In the House, Democrats campaigning against the chaos of GOP leadership may manage to wrest back control. A double flip has never happened before https://t.co/uPv5F6HJ6f
— Andy Langenkamp (@AndyLangenkamp) March 25, 2024
Analysts say losing control of the House mid-Congress would be unprecedented but the internal divisions and unpopular votes on issues like gun rights have weakened Republicans as their term winds down.
“Control of the House of Representatives has never flipped in the middle of a Congress. But if it’s going to happen, the 118th Congress is as ripe for that possibility,” Fox News’s political analyst Chad Pergram wrote.
“House Republicans face chaos in their conference. Members who planned to retire next January are now ditching Capitol Hill early. The House is an acrimonious place with yet another move afoot to dethrone the Speaker. FOX is told that other Republicans are angling to get out as soon as they can. A big payday in the private sector could lure some members to cash in their voting cards early,” he wrote.
“In the Senate, the set of seats contested this year are in extremely favourable states for Republicans. In the House, Democrats campaigning against the chaos of GOP leadership may manage to wrest back control. A double flip has never happened before,” political analyst Andy Langenkamp wrote.
While Republicans expected a larger majority, dysfunction and infighting now endanger their hold on the chamber in the final months of the 118th Congress.
“House Republicans do have to be worried about holding their majority,” Brookings Institution’s Darrell West wrote. “It would be extraordinarily unusual. I mean, stuff like that just does not happen. But it shows the extent of the dysfunction – the divisions within the Republican House caucus.”
Most Popular:
Hidden Camera Exposes Biden Official
Border Patrol Marksman Takes Matters Into His Own Hands
