'Chaos' and 'frustration' are fueling 'big losses' in GOP House majority

Plagued by chaos and bitter divisions, the GOP's majority in the U.S. House of Representatives has suffered one resignation after another.

Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colorado), Rep. Greg Pence (R-Indiana) and Rep. Mike Gallager (R-Michigan) are among the many House Republicans who aren't seeking reelection in 2024. Buck plans to serve out the rest of his term, but former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-California) was so frustrated that he left Congress at the end of 2023.

CNN reporters Melanie Zanona, Annie Grayer and Haley Talbot examine this wave of departures in an article published on February 19.

READ MORE:Republicans are fleeing Congress to escape 'chaos and dysfunction': analysis

Rep. Carlos A. Giménez (R-Florida) told CNN, "A lot of us are frustrated with what's going on, and that's just being flat-out honest. It's foolish, and it's been proven to be foolish. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result."

Similarly, Rep. Pence, former Vice President Mike Pence's older brother, told CNN, "Those are big losses for us. It is alarming, especially for the institutional knowledge.… So, that's a big deal."

But Rep. Bob Good (R-Virginia), who now chairs the far-right House Freedom Caucus, welcomes the departures.

Good told CNN, "Brain drain? Why don't you survey the country and see if there is any brain to drain in Congress. Congress has a 20 percent approval rating. Most of what we do to the country is bad. I think the retirements are a wonderful thing.… I have no concerns, zero concerns. We probably need a few more retirements.”

READ MORE: 4-term House Republican announces retirement, joining growing GOP congressional exodus

Read CNN's full article at this link.