House Republicans have been vocally frustrated over the departures of Reps. Mike Gallagher, R–Wis., and Ken Buck, R-Colo., resulting in their slim majority.
Back in January, Republicans had started the 118th Congress with just a single-digit majority. Multiple early departures since then, along with the expulsion of Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., has slimmed that down dramatically.
Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., shocked colleagues on Friday when he announced he’s stepping down on April 19, weeks after Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., also revealed he’d be stepping down early. Both announced earlier that they would not be seeking re-election.
Gallagher and Buck were hammered by their conservative colleagues, with Gallagher in particular getting attacked because his planned departure date would come after Wisconsin’s deadline to hold a special election — meaning the seat would be vacant through 2024.
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"If he's going to resign, then do it. Let the people of Wisconsin pick a replacement. That would be the right thing to do, to me," Norman said, questioning whether the decision was "a little strategic."
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., went even further, telling "Sunday Morning Futures" that Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., should expel Gallagher earlier so that a special election could take place.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene, R-Ga., called for Gallagher to be expelled so that a special election can be held to fill his seat this year. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
"I think it should be a cautionary tale for all of us about our political environment. This is not just the House — we have millions of Americans who are disgusted by the toxicity and dysfunction in the system, and they're checking out, too. And if we don’t fix the underlying problem with our civic discourse, we're just going to get more of them — members of Congress through the citizenry, checking out," they added.
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The GOP lawmaker called Buck and Gallagher "hard-working" and "principled."
Another conservative, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., predicted further "gridlock" in the wake of Gallagher and Buck's departures in a weekend interview with Fox News Live.
"When you are seeing people intentionally leave in order to prevent primaries from happening so those seats can be filled, I just think that they're doing the American people disservice," Luna said. "You are really only screwing over the Republican Party — the American people."
Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.
Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com
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