Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., has confirmed that he will be resigning from Congress early, adding to the challenges faced by House Republicans under Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. Gallagher’s departure will take place on April 19, impacting the GOP’s already slim majority in the House. With Gallagher’s resignation, the Republican party will be left with a mere 217-213 majority, amplifying the need for unity in their voting strategy.
Gallagher’s decision to leave before the end of his term also means that there will not be a special election to fill his seat, as vacancies after the second Tuesday in April are filled during the general election. As chairman of the select committee investigating the Chinese Communist Party and a member of the Intelligence Committee, Gallagher’s departure in the middle of his term is seen as highly unusual. Despite his frustrations with his own party, Gallagher expressed pride in his work on various committees and referred to his time in the House of Representatives as an honor.
The timing of Gallagher’s announcement coincided with the House vote to avert a government shutdown, indicating a strategic collaboration with GOP leaders. Meanwhile, other Republican lawmakers, such as Marjorie Taylor Greene and Kay Granger, have made significant moves within the party leadership structure. The Republican party faces further internal turbulence as they navigate leadership changes and seek to maintain cohesiveness within their diminishing majority in the House.