An unprecedented number of House Republicans are opting to retire or pursue other offices, complicating Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) bid to fend off a potential blue wave in the 2026 midterms and preserve his razor-thin majority.

So far, 36 House Republicans — including the most recent, Rep. Sam Graves (Mo.) — have announced they will leave their seat at the end of their term, pointing to legislative gridlock, family commitments or a wish to make room for the next generation of leaders.

That total exceeds the record set in the 2018 midterm cycle, when 34 House Republicans chose not to run for reelection and Democrats regained control of the lower chamber under President Trump’s first term.

  • ravenaspiring@sh.itjust.works
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    13 hours ago

    I am hoping for a blue wave here top, but worth noting that so far another 20 or so other House member are not seeking reelection. A total of 57 are bowing out.

    Worth noting that being a politician is a much harder job now than it used to be and the security of it is a big challenge. They are now basically in a state of “psychology terror” due to the political violence that is going on against both sides. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/political-violence-distorting-american-lawmaking

    • ayyy@sh.itjust.works
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      11 hours ago

      Which republican congesspeople have been physically harmed? That’s insanely disconnected from reality.

      • Didntdoit71@feddit.online
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        8 hours ago

        They aren’t even being threatened effectively. They just don’t like the negative stories about them online. We are not in a state of political violence. Anyone telling the world that the US is politically violent is on some goid shit and hallucinating. These politicians are all popularity whores. If they aren’t popular enough, they quit because their egos can’t handle rhe negative words hurled at them. The US will have a collective meltdown if REAL political violence ever actually happens. I’m sure the French laugh at the US daily due to our whimpy behavior when it comes to “violence”. The French, no matter what you think of them, know how to throw REAL No Kings protests…aka Revolutions. The US will grow up eventually…if it survives long enough. Our current government is doing their damnedest to kill it, though.

        Call me when ths Trump-Epstein Files actually recieve some attention that involves someone going to prison.