By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-11-14 23:36:54 | Updated at 2024-11-27 16:50:15
1 week ago
Speaker Mike Johnson is begging Donald Trump to not poach any more Cabinet nominees from the House of Representatives.
Republicans officially won control of the House on Wednesday, gaining control of the 218 seat minimum needed to hold the majority.
Though their majority is already being threatened - and not by Democrats.
The president-elect has already snatched up several high-profile GOP members of the House to fill the many positions in his future administration.
Already Trump has nominated Reps. Elise Stefanik of New York to be Ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz of Florida to be national security advisor and Matt Gaetz of Florida to be attorney general.
As it stands, Republicans have won 218 seats to the Democrats' 209 seats in the next Congress that will be convened in January 2025. Eight House races still remain without results.
'It's a great problem to have,' Johnson optimistically told Fox News. 'We have an embarrassment of riches in the House Republican Congress.'
'Lots of talented people who are very attuned to the America First agenda, and they can serve the country well in other capacities.'
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson pleaded with Trump to give him 'some relief' after the president-elect poached three Republicans from the slim GOP House majority
Trump selected Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., to become his national security advisor
Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., was chosen by Trump to be the next Ambassador to the U.N.
'But I've told President Trump, enough already, give me some relief,' Johnson revealed. 'I have to maintain this majority.'
If Trump decides to take any more GOP members the speaker's grip on power will get significantly weaker.
Every member that the president-elect brings in strengthens House Democrats' hand by forcing a special election to replace the outgoing members.
Many states have differences in how they conduct special elections too, meaning the timing of when they might happen could impact critical votes.
Gaetz resigned his Florida seat right after being nominated to AG, Johnson told reporters Wednesday, and the speaker was hopeful Florida could hold elections and get a replacement to Washington by early January.
Johnson said Trump fully understands his predicament.
'He understands that, of course, we've been talking about it almost hourly every day,' Johnson said.
Republicans 'will have a majority' he added.
President-elect Donald Trump, accompanied on stage by Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and House Republican Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, addressing House Republicans on Wednesday
Trump greets his friend Stefanik on stage at the House GOP event
Trump selected former Rep. Matt Gaetz to be his next attorney general
The GOP is expected to control between 220 - 222 seats next Congress. That would give them only a handful of votes to work with when passing critical legislation.
And Johnson this week even mentioned how every vote matters.
'Every single vote will count because if someone gets ill or has a car accident or a late flight on their plane, then it affects the votes on the floor,' Johnson said on Tuesday.
