House Republicans face growing attendance fears with thin majority

Tense scenes performed out within the Home of Representatives on Tuesday night as a bunch of reasonable Republicans took a stand towards a trio of Republican Celebration-led labor payments.

A kind of payments didn’t go, whereas the opposite two had been shortly defeated to keep away from the identical destiny — an embarrassing blow to the Republican management within the Home of Representatives and the vast majority of Republican lawmakers who supported them.

It is an instance of a state of affairs that is changing into more and more frequent within the Home of Congress, as Republicans battle with a celebration majority of wherever from three to at least one vote, relying on turnout that day.

“Now we have easy payments like this that should not be an issue, and we now have a number of reasonable Rs that may kill the invoice,” Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., informed Fox Information Digital on the sidelines simply earlier than the primary invoice failed. “What I foresee, and also you see it within the appropriations payments, they do not care about guys like me… they only work with the Democrats to go them.”

Daily: A tragic demise additional expands the Republican’s razor-thin Home majority

Republicans within the Home of Representatives are more and more involved about Democrats gaining legislative victories as Speaker Mike Johnson secures a slim majority. (Evan Vucci/AP Photograph; J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photograph)

A number of Republicans who spoke to Fox Information Digital this week mentioned there may be rising concern that Democrats are rising their variety of legislative victories regardless of Republicans holding the gavel — or presumably utilizing their numbers to take over the agenda.

As Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., informed reporters final week, “We’re one flu season away from dropping the bulk.”

Steube mentioned he did not imagine Democrats may truly take the speaker’s gavel, however conceded the state of affairs was tenuous. He pointed to the current sudden demise of Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-California, for instance.

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“You are a coronary heart assault and a automobile accident away from being the bulk. There are folks at our convention who will not be younger folks. I imply, you noticed what simply occurred to LaMalfa. For my part, he was younger, 65. Now we have people who find themselves a lot older on the convention,” he mentioned Tuesday night time.

“Now the Democrats cannot take the gavel, however what you see right here, you might have turnout issues, you might have seven Republicans voting with the Democrats. You lose greater than two, you are toast.”

Nonetheless, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., denied there was a battle over the agenda Tuesday night time.

“Now we have full management of the Home,” he informed reporters.

Nonetheless, he added that leaders had been carefully monitoring the turnout.

“They higher be right here,” Johnson mentioned of his members. “I informed everybody, and never jokingly, I mentioned no journey sports activities, do not take dangers, take your nutritional vitamins. Keep wholesome and be right here.”

Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., heads to a Home Republican Convention assembly with President Donald Trump on the finances reconciliation invoice on the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Could 20, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Name, Inc. through Getty Photographs)

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It comes after a number of current incidents which have put their tenuous maintain on the Home of Representatives into perspective for Republicans.

Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., abruptly resigned earlier this 12 months after publicly feuding with President Donald Trump. Rep. Jim Baird, R-Ind., returned Tuesday badly bruised after a automobile accident from which he spent the week recovering.

And this week, Rep. Greg Murphy, RN.C., that he’s recovering at house from main mind surgical procedure. Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., cares for his sick spouse in his district.

Along with conversations about their very own mortality, it has additionally led to discussions amongst some Republicans about what sudden life occasions may do to their majority.

“The margins are actually, actually shut. Just a few of us had been in a automobile lately and driving… if that had been an accident, that may have been the deciding issue. So I believe it is a concern to be vigilant and cautious and simply perceive that the results of an accident, , can have penalties which are exterior the norm,” Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., informed Fox Information Digital.

He additionally warned his fellow Republicans, as a former Navy SEAL, to concentrate on unsafe conditions.

“Suppose an evil spirit needs to alter the bulk within the Home of Representatives — we do not have the identical protections because the president. And so I say, simply keep vigilant,” Zinke mentioned. “I am assured we’ll transfer ahead, however I believe it must be a priority as a result of it is a large deal to alter energy exterior of the traditional election cycle.”

Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., leaves a Home Republican Convention assembly on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 17, 2024. LaMalfa died on Jan. 6, 2026. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Name, Inc. through Getty Photographs)

A Home Republican who spoke to Fox Information Digital anonymously identified that extra Democrats than Republicans gave the impression to be voting on a collection of payments Monday night time — albeit comparatively uncontroversial ones.

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“I believe they’re terrified,” the lawmaker mentioned of Republican leaders on Tuesday. “Typically life occurs – take a look at Derrick Van Orden…automobile accidents, COVID or the flu. I imply, I do not assume we had the bulk final night time.”

“They’ll need to be good with the calendar and possibly break a couple of weapons,” the Republican lawmaker mentioned. “It is sort of unprecedented. I do not understand how it will work. Say, sadly, another person handed. You may’t repair that. You might need to attend a couple of months. You might need to strip commissions. There’s plenty of uncharted waters to take care of.”

There are additionally greater than a dozen Republican lawmakers working for greater workplace — one thing that would additionally result in absences, as South Carolina gubernatorial candidate Nancy Mace, R-S.C., famous.

Nonetheless, she dismissed fears that Democrats would take over the agenda.

“There’s actually concern in regards to the slim majority. There are numerous of us who’re additionally working for greater workplace, and as debate season rolls round, there might be members who miss votes to debate and marketing campaign,” Mace mentioned.

Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., informed Fox Information Digital he wasn’t involved about Democrats taking up, however admitted there was pressure over the slim margins for Republicans.

“I do know they’re holding a detailed eye on attendance,” Ogles mentioned. “I believe the joke is that no two members are allowed to journey collectively presently.”

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Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., introduced she is going to run for governor of South Carolina throughout a information convention on the Citadel in Charleston, S.C., on August 4, 2025. (Tracy Glantz/The State/Tribune Information Service through Getty Photographs)

However not all Republicans within the Home of Representatives are involved about how the politics of the state of affairs are taking part in out.

A reasonable Republican lawmaker who spoke anonymously to Fox Information Digital mentioned the slim majority may hold Republicans within the center from politically harmful votes.

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“It provides folks within the heart somewhat extra leverage to maintain payments from falling to the ground,” they mentioned.

One instance they used is Thursday morning’s beforehand anticipated vote on a joint-employer employment rule invoice, telling Fox Information Digital: “There’s an energetic effort amongst pro-labor Republicans to maintain this from developing, and we are able to solely actually get that carried out with our majority.”

That invoice was pulled from consideration hours earlier than the ten a.m. vote started.