House Republicans lost another member in Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., on Friday. Gallagher's departure April 19 will leave Republicans with just one vote to spare on legislation.

House Republicans lost another member in Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., on Friday. Gallagher’s departure April 19 will leave Republicans with just one vote to spare on legislation.

Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., who announced last month he would not run for re-election, will resign from Congress early, he confirmed in a statement Friday.

Gallagher’s departure before the end of his term in January is another blow to Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and House Republicans, who have been struggling to govern and demonstrate stability in this Congress.

Two sources familiar with the matter told NBC News of Gallagher’s plan to resign early Friday. The Wisconsin Republican then released a statement announcing that he will depart April 19.

The speaker’s office confirmed that Gallagher informed Johnson of his decision earlier this week.

His resignation could cause more headaches for House Republicans. Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., who also is not seeking re-election, is resigning from Congress on Friday, cutting the GOP’s minuscule majority to 218-213. When Gallagher leaves, the majority would further shrink to 217-213, meaning Republicans could only afford a single defection on any vote if Democrats vote together.

  • dhork@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1571·
    9 months ago

    Gallagher has a young family that he and his wife hope to grow and the House schedule is not conducive to that, the source said.

    Dude is quitting Congress to have more time for sex. I can respect that.

  • macarthur_park@lemmy.world
    148·
    9 months ago

    Gallagher’s decision to leave April 19 also means that there will not be a special election to fill his seat. Under Wisconsin state law, vacancies after the second Tuesday in April are filled in the general election, so Gallagher’s replacement will be decided in November and his seat will remain empty until January.

    If he resigns just a week earlier his seat would likely be filled by another republican. Credit where credit is due, this is an intentional move on his part to express dissatisfaction with house republicans.

  • Nobody@lemmy.worldEnglish
    98·
    9 months ago

    It makes you wonder if Ken Buck actually knew something when he said three more were resigning after him. It was written off as a hypothetical statement, yet here we are.

    • MotoAsh@lemmy.world
      461·
      9 months ago

      The real question is did he know something or was it merely stating the obvious that rats abandon a sinking ship?

      • snooggumsEnglish
        281·
        9 months ago

        At this point it is most likely rats abandoning a sinking ship.

      • Serinus@lemmy.world
        81·
        9 months ago

        Are these the rats? Seems meaningful that I haven’t heard of them as shitbags, even if they do vote in lockstep.

    • Sanctus@lemmy.worldEnglish
      8·
      9 months ago

      Yeah what he knew is none of these people are qualified anymore. The thing about fucking education for decades is eventually those people have to lead the country, too. So anyone with a shred, and I mean a shred, of decency and sense is out. Because nothing is more frustrating when the bull has the reigns but it only chases red flags.

    • Passerby6497@lemmy.worldEnglish
      6·
      9 months ago

      He had to have known. Gallagher resigned a week after the deadline for a special election to be called to replace him, so there’s no way that was coincidental

  • Chainweasel@lemmy.worldEnglish
    64·
    9 months ago

    How many pounds of shit do you think Mike Johnson has in his pants right now?
    MTG voted to vacate and Gallagher resigns? Talk about a good day lol

      • xmunk@sh.itjust.works
        191·
        9 months ago

        Monday we’ll see if repo agents show up at Trump’s property… it’s so exciting!

        • PhAzE@lemmy.ca
          3·
          9 months ago

          It’s like being excited for the next season premier of the show that scared us all

    • Dagwood222@lemm.ee
      8·
      9 months ago

      I think it’s likely that the two things are connected. If nothing else, why would he want to stick around and watch the fifth [?] battle for the Speakership this year?

  • Optional@lemmy.world
    49·
    9 months ago

    He was elected the same time as trump and has grown increasingly frustrated with his party.

    So. Yeah.

  • Reptorian@lemmy.zipEnglish
    401·
    9 months ago

    Well, Hakeem Jeffries will become speaker before the November elections. Ukraine might be getting some aid, which is what I want to see.

    • snooggumsEnglish
      24·
      9 months ago

      I’m looking forward to finding out what shitstorm is brewing, because this is a lot of early retirements with reasons that are normally used when they choose not to run again.

      • WizEnglish
        15·
        9 months ago

        It’s not weird that they are resigning.

        It’s weird that they are doing it mid-term.

      • Passerby6497@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2·
        9 months ago

        You mean other than Der Republican Fuhrer Trump absolutely destroying the last modicum of respectability of the republican party or the naked embrace of fascism of it?

        I don’t have any respect for republicans, but they’re not all stupid enough to not see the writing on the wall.

  • just_another_person@lemmy.world
    143·
    9 months ago

    There are so many GOP members resigning all at the same time, you just HAVE to expect they are all being blackmailed with Kompromat or something. It’s just unlikely they ALL have better things to do suddenly.

    • ouRKaoS@lemmy.today
      35·
      9 months ago

      I think this is more of a “rats leaving a sinking ship” situation.

      They see the writing on the wall & are trying to put some distance between them & the party before shit really hits the fan.

    • Dkarma@lemmy.world
      11·
      9 months ago

      They see trump taking over the rnc and they realize all the money that was going to flow into their campaigns is now being spent in whatever Trump wants.

      No point in running if there’s no cash to support your campaign.

    • Passerby6497@lemmy.worldEnglish
      4·
      9 months ago

      I’d it was kompromat that’s be starting in Congress to fuck up any chance of a functioning government. This looks like even the assholes are getting tired of the smell of shit.

      • just_another_person@lemmy.world
        14·
        9 months ago

        Disagree. I think outside influences would know nothing of real consequences is getting done in this climate, but getting a handful of these GOP Operatives out in the mix elsewhere, they’d potentially have more direct influence.

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldBEnglish
    3·
    9 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:

    WASHINGTON — Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., who announced last month he would not run for re-election, will resign from Congress early, he confirmed in a statement Friday.

    Gallagher’s departure before the end of his term in January is another blow to Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and House Republicans, who have been struggling to govern and demonstrate stability in this Congress.

    Under Wisconsin state law, vacancies after the second Tuesday in April are filled in the general election, so Gallagher’s replacement will be decided in November and his seat will remain empty until January.

    Earlier Friday, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., filed a motion to oust Johnson from the speakership over his handling of funding the government, though no vote is scheduled yet.

    Meanwhile, shortly after the House passed its final government funding package for fiscal year 2024 on Friday, retiring Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, said she would step down as chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, setting off an early battle among Republicans to succeed her in the powerful post.

    In his statement, Gallagher said he worked closely with GOP leaders on the timing of his announcement — shortly after the House voted to avert a shutdown — and looks forward to Johnson naming a new China committee chairman.

    The original article contains 509 words, the summary contains 208 words. Saved 59%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!