Dem
51
GOP
49
Rep. Bill Johnson (R-OH) had already announced that he was leaving Congress to take over the leadership of Youngstown State University. However, he left his date of departure vague, suggesting it would probably be March 15. Not so much, as it turns out. Yesterday, he announced that he's thought about it, and prayed about it, and concluded that he is going to vacate his seat on January 21.
This news is not going to make Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) happy. Now, he gets to navigate the upcoming budget negotiations with room for only two defections, as the House will be 219-213 once Johnson goes. And Johnson has said he's going to spend a lot of time on campus in the next 2 weeks getting to know various constituencies. So, Johnson's margin may already de facto be 219-213. We'll see if he can channel his inner Pelosi or his inner Clay. (Z)