'It’s embarrassing': Frustrated House Republicans increasingly fear losing their majority

23 January 2024

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) entered 2024 facing a variety of challenges, including the threat of a partial federal government shutdown, a series of special elections and members of his caucus who are threatening to oust him as speaker — the fate that former Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-California) suffered in October.

Democrats have been arguing that all this chaos makes a case for taking away the GOP's House majority in November. And some House Republicans, according to The New Republic's Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling, fear that voters will agree with that message.

In an article published on January 22, Houghtaling explains, "House Republicans are getting increasingly frustrated at their caucus' inability to draft laws and enact change, with some very publicly complaining about their party's lack of accomplishments…. The 118th Congress has passed fewer than 30 bills thus far, a paltry showing compared to previous congresses, which have generally passed more than 300."

Houghtaling adds, "With just ten months until Election Day, the lacking report card is beginning to hang heavy over many Republicans, who fear it may be a death knell for their political ambitions."

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Houghtaling cites Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Arizona), Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-North Carolina) and Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) as examples of House Republicans who have been expressing their frustration.

Biggs told the far-right Newsmax, "We have nothing. In my opinion, we have nothing to go out there and campaign on. It's embarrassing."

McHenry, on January 18, told reporters, "If we keep extending the pain and creating more suffering, we will pay the price at the ballot box. But if we can get on with governance and get the best policy wins we can, then you can open-field this thing. But at this point, we are sucking wind because we can't get past the main object in the road."

Roy was especially forceful in his comments.

Back in November, the Texas declared, "One thing — I want my Republican colleagues to give me one thing, one, that I can go campaign on and say we did. One!"

Read The New Republic's full report at this link.

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