President Trump’s House Republican majority has shrunk with the resignation of Marjorie Taylor Greene and the sudden death of Doug LaMalfa.
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President Donald Trump’s small Republican vote share in the House has shrunk amid unexpected defections and tragedy, further complicating the path to passing a Republican-centered agenda during an election year.
California Republican Congressman Doug LaMalfa passed away suddenly at the age of 65 on January 5th after suffering a medical emergency. His death, which follows the sudden resignation of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia amid national divisions with President Trump, reduces the House Republican-Democratic split to 218-213 (216 needed for a majority).
Additionally, Rep. Jim Baird (R-Ind.) was hospitalized this week with his wife after a car crash that President Trump called a “terrible accident.” His office said he is expected to make a full recovery. Baird’s temporary absence from the Capitol will complicate Speaker Mike Johnson’s job of keeping Republicans aligned in a midterm election year, when Democrats are trying to stay united as they look to regain the House majority.
President Trump himself acknowledged the difficult political calculation during a January 6 rally with House Republicans at the Kennedy Center. “It’s not a majority,” the second-term president told lawmakers. “But it’s a unified majority.”
But between a forced vote to release the Jeffrey Epstein files and disagreements over cutting health care costs, Republicans have actually been completely out of step in recent months. Mr. Johnson’s current narrow two-vote margin includes Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, who has frequently defied his party and is already posing a problem for Republican leaders who are struggling to maintain control of bills that reach the chambers of Congress they are supposed to oversee.
It remains to be seen whether Republicans will be able to retain control of the House in the 2026 elections. But the trend is not in their favor. Historically, the party in power loses seats. Democrats’ overperformance in last year’s off-year elections and special elections is likely to cause problems.
Retirements, elections, and deaths affect majority calculations
Johnson’s most high-profile resignation came in November, when Marjorie Taylor Greene said she was tired of Washington politics. Her last day in office was Jan. 5, putting an end to a career in which she often served as one of President Trump’s most outspoken allies.
Back in Washington, the House of Representatives will soon begin filling the vacancy. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has set a special election for March 10 to fill the remainder of Greene’s term. Greene’s retirement was part of a record number of withdrawal announcements by members of Congress from both parties.
In Texas, Republican Governor Greg Abbott has set up a special election to replace Democratic Representative Sylvester Turner, who died in March 2025, with a runoff election scheduled for January 31st.
In New Jersey, Democrats will have to wait until April to fill the seat of former Rep. Mikie Sherrill, who is set to become governor on Jan. 20.
Success of redistricting remains uncertain
The exact strategy for how the two parties will redraw the parliamentary map in order to maintain or secure a majority next November for 2026 is also not yet clear.
Indiana Republican lawmakers ultimately rejected a pressure campaign from the White House for redistricting. The Republican speaker of Kansas’ House of Representatives recently said that his state likely doesn’t have the votes.
Zachary Schermele is a Congressional reporter for USA TODAY. You can email us at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and on Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social..
