Yet another House Republican announces retirement as Johnson fights to keep majority

The exodus of House Republicans is continuing unabated, adding to Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-Louisiana) woes as he struggles to keep the gavel after the 2024 election.

On Tuesday, Rep. Greg Pence (R-Indiana) — the brother of former Vice President Mike Pence — announced that he was not seeking reelection after serving for six years in the House of Representatives.

"After three terms, I've made the decision to not file for reelection," Pence said in a statement posted to X (formerly Twitter). "To the voters in Indiana's 6th District — it is a privilege and honor to represent you in our Nation's capital."

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According to Ballotpedia's tally, Pence's retirement makes him the 21st incumbent member of the House retiring from public office, and the 11th Republican. On Friday, Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colorado) announced his decision to not seek another term, meaning all Republican-held districts in the Centennial State are now officially open. Additionally, Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio) issued his retirement announcement early last week after agreeing to become the next president of Youngstown State University. His exit will be on January 21, which comes before a critical February government funding deadline.

Republicans in particular have been fleeing the House of Representatives at a breakneck pace: The same day Lamborn announced his retirement from Congress, the Atlantic's Russell Berman reported on how House Republicans are "quitting in droves," noting the sudden exits of high-profile Republicans like former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-California) and interim House Speaker Patrick McHenry (R-South Carolina), the House Financial Services Committee chairman who presided over the chamber while the House Republican Conference bickered for the better part of a month over who should lead their majority.

"After the House spent much of October fighting over whom to elect as speaker, November saw more retirement announcements than any single month in more than a decade," Berman wrote. "Some members aren't even waiting for their term to end."

After the expulsion of disgraced former Rep. George Santos (R-New York) and McCarthy's December 2023 exit, Johnson can now afford only two defections from his own party assuming full attendance, making it even more difficult to pass legislation without Democratic votes. Johnson agreed late last year to fund the government with a "laddered" approach, meaning one deadline is approaching on January 19, with another deadline on February 2.

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