A senior House Republican predicts that more “explosive early resignations are coming” after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-Ga.) surprise announcement that she would leave Congress in January.
Several GOP House members privately told Punchbowl News that they were also considering retiring before their terms end, after Greene’s Nov. 21 announcement.
It’s unknown which Republicans are currently pondering resignation, but a feeling that legislators’ needs are being neglected by party leadership and an inability to pass legislation has led some to consider quitting, as they expect the GOP to lose its already slim majority in Congress.
The anonymous GOP lawmaker said that morale amongst the Republican caucus in the House has “never been lower” and called the present situation a “tinder box.”
He also predicted that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) could lose his leadership position before the end of the term due to growing internal tensions in the ranks and said that many blame him and the White House personally.
“This entire White House team has treated ALL members like garbage. ALL. And Mike Johnson has let it happen because he wanted it to happen,” the House Republican told Punchbowl News. “That is the sentiment of nearly all — appropriators, authorizers, hawks, doves, rank and file. The arrogance of this White House team is off putting to members who are run roughshod and threatened.”
“They don’t even allow little wins like announcing small grants or even responding from agencies. Not even the high profile, the regular rank and file random members are more upset than ever. Members know they are going into the minority after the midterms,” continued the legislator.
“More explosive early resignations are coming. It’s a tinder box. Morale has never been lower. Mike Johnson will be stripped of his gavel and they will lose the majority before this term is out,” he added.
Johnson’s office told Punchbowl News that the speaker was working tirelessly within the constraints of the GOP’s fragile majority and was doing his best with the hand that he was dealt.
House Republicans currently hold a razor-thin majority of 219 seats to the Democrats’ 213, and Greene’s resignation will shrink their majority further, making it harder to pass legislation without near-unanimous Republican support.
Some in the GOP increasingly worry that that additional departures from the House could lose the party’s majority well before the 2026 midterms, especially if special elections cost them seats.
Greene, in her departure announcement, warned that President Donald Trump and the House Republican leadership were losing focus by neglecting some of the expectations of the MAGA base, growing complacent, and on the verge of losing the razor-thin majority in Congress.
“Fact check true,” the Greene wrote on X. “Myself and many of my colleagues came courageously roaring into 2025 with legislation that matched the 2024 electoral mandate only to be totally sidelined by Johnson under full obedience of the WH. Passing effective legislation that gets signed into law is permanent and actually solves Americans problems.”
“Now that House members are switching gears into campaign mode and will be fighting for their lives, our legislative majority has been mostly wasted. Our best shot was the first 6-9 months. And when Republicans likely lose the midterms it will become total and complete political war and gridlock once again,” Greene continued.
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