'Majority math in flux': McCarthy’s resignation complicates possible Biden impeachment vote in 2024

Wednesday, December 6 brought a major bombshell from the Wall Street Journal. In a WSJ op-ed, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-California) announced that he is resigning from Congress. McCarthy does not plan to serve out the rest of his term and will be gone by the end of 2023.

The ex-speaker's announcement came less than a week after former Rep. George Santos (D-New York), facing felony corruption charges, was expelled from the House. A special election in the Queens/Long Island district that Santos represented could be quite competitive for a Democratic candidate, although McCarthy's area of California leans Republican.

In an article published on December 7, The Hill's Emily Brooks describes the challenges that McCarthy's departure poses for House Republicans' already-small majority — including a possible impeachment of President Joe Biden.

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Brooks reports, "One of the biggest potential party-line votes they may face early next year is on impeachment articles against President Biden, if the House GOP — which is planning to hold a formal vote to authorize the inquiry…. If a Democrat wins the New York special election for Santos' seat, the House would be left with 219 Republicans and 214 Democrats and one vacancy, meaning Republicans could lose just two votes on any party-line measure."

The reporter adds, however, that "some other members" of the House "are planning to make their exits, which further puts the majority math in flux."

"In one welcome development for Republicans," Brooks observes, "Rep. Brian Higgins (D-NY) is resigning sometime in February to take over Shea's Performing Arts Center. He cited his frustration with dysfunction in Congress when he announced his resignation. Lastly, Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio) is set to resign from the House before mid-March to take a job as president of Youngstown State University."

Brooks adds, "Taking those exits into account, the House GOP could still have just a slim two-vote cushion by mid-March if a Democrat wins the Santos' seat — with 219 Republicans and 213 Democrats and three vacancies."

READ MORE: 'Bye George!': Social media reacts to 'unfit to serve' George Santos’ expulsion from Congress

Emily Brooks' full report for The Hill is available at this link.