House GOP's razor-thin majority threatens to grind Trump's Capitol Hill agenda to halt
What's the endgame here?
With less than nine months before a politically bruising battle in the November midterm elections, the realities of a one-seat majority are bearing down on the House GOP.
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. — and by extension, President Donald Trump — faced back-to-back losses on the House floor last week after a small group of GOP rebels joined Democrats in an effort to curb Trump's unilateral tariff authority.
It's part of a growing trend that comes with a razor-thin House majority, and moderates making a choice between appealing to their battleground district voters and following the president in a year when history dictates the opposing party will fare better in the coming elections.
"Getting things done in Washington can be tough enough as it is," veteran GOP strategist Doug Heye told Fox News Digital. "Add to that a super slim majority and the shortened legislative calendar of an election year, and it’s tough to see much happening legislatively through the rest of the year."
REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK: GOP REBELS DEFY TRUMP AS CONGRESSIONAL GRIP CONTINUES TO WEAKEN ACROSS MULTIPLE VOTES
Last Tuesday, House GOP leaders tried to insert language into an unrelated procedural vote aimed at blocking Democrats from forcing consideration of a bill aimed at limiting Trump's ability to levy tariffs on Canada without consent from Congress.
That failed, however, after three Republicans joined Democrats in sinking that procedural vote — Reps. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., Don Bacon, R-Neb., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky.
"I think it was not unexpected, and certainly we’ve got to find a new course to chart now," one House Republican granted anonymity to speak freely told Fox News Digital.
"This is going to change the dynamics of the type of legislation we’re going to see, and the type of political posturing the Democrats are going to do the next nine months. So we’ve got to come up with a better strategy."
But Republicans who spoke with Fox News Digital largely did not blame Johnson, arguing he was doing his best with the circumstances in front of him. Instead, much frustration was aimed at their fellow GOP lawmakers who dissented.
The move not only paved the way for a vote on Trump's Canada tariffs, but opened the door to allowing Democrats to force a vote on tariffs targeting other countries as well.
HOUSE GOP MAJORITY ON THE BRINK AS ALL-DEMOCRAT TEXAS SPECIAL CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION UNDERWAY
"A lot of people were disappointed with how that went, with the actors who voted no" rather than House leadership, a second House Republican said.
They pointed out that the following day would …
What's the endgame here?
With less than nine months before a politically bruising battle in the November midterm elections, the realities of a one-seat majority are bearing down on the House GOP.
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. — and by extension, President Donald Trump — faced back-to-back losses on the House floor last week after a small group of GOP rebels joined Democrats in an effort to curb Trump's unilateral tariff authority.
It's part of a growing trend that comes with a razor-thin House majority, and moderates making a choice between appealing to their battleground district voters and following the president in a year when history dictates the opposing party will fare better in the coming elections.
"Getting things done in Washington can be tough enough as it is," veteran GOP strategist Doug Heye told Fox News Digital. "Add to that a super slim majority and the shortened legislative calendar of an election year, and it’s tough to see much happening legislatively through the rest of the year."
REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK: GOP REBELS DEFY TRUMP AS CONGRESSIONAL GRIP CONTINUES TO WEAKEN ACROSS MULTIPLE VOTES
Last Tuesday, House GOP leaders tried to insert language into an unrelated procedural vote aimed at blocking Democrats from forcing consideration of a bill aimed at limiting Trump's ability to levy tariffs on Canada without consent from Congress.
That failed, however, after three Republicans joined Democrats in sinking that procedural vote — Reps. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., Don Bacon, R-Neb., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky.
"I think it was not unexpected, and certainly we’ve got to find a new course to chart now," one House Republican granted anonymity to speak freely told Fox News Digital.
"This is going to change the dynamics of the type of legislation we’re going to see, and the type of political posturing the Democrats are going to do the next nine months. So we’ve got to come up with a better strategy."
But Republicans who spoke with Fox News Digital largely did not blame Johnson, arguing he was doing his best with the circumstances in front of him. Instead, much frustration was aimed at their fellow GOP lawmakers who dissented.
The move not only paved the way for a vote on Trump's Canada tariffs, but opened the door to allowing Democrats to force a vote on tariffs targeting other countries as well.
HOUSE GOP MAJORITY ON THE BRINK AS ALL-DEMOCRAT TEXAS SPECIAL CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION UNDERWAY
"A lot of people were disappointed with how that went, with the actors who voted no" rather than House leadership, a second House Republican said.
They pointed out that the following day would …
House GOP's razor-thin majority threatens to grind Trump's Capitol Hill agenda to halt
What's the endgame here?
With less than nine months before a politically bruising battle in the November midterm elections, the realities of a one-seat majority are bearing down on the House GOP.
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. — and by extension, President Donald Trump — faced back-to-back losses on the House floor last week after a small group of GOP rebels joined Democrats in an effort to curb Trump's unilateral tariff authority.
It's part of a growing trend that comes with a razor-thin House majority, and moderates making a choice between appealing to their battleground district voters and following the president in a year when history dictates the opposing party will fare better in the coming elections.
"Getting things done in Washington can be tough enough as it is," veteran GOP strategist Doug Heye told Fox News Digital. "Add to that a super slim majority and the shortened legislative calendar of an election year, and it’s tough to see much happening legislatively through the rest of the year."
REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK: GOP REBELS DEFY TRUMP AS CONGRESSIONAL GRIP CONTINUES TO WEAKEN ACROSS MULTIPLE VOTES
Last Tuesday, House GOP leaders tried to insert language into an unrelated procedural vote aimed at blocking Democrats from forcing consideration of a bill aimed at limiting Trump's ability to levy tariffs on Canada without consent from Congress.
That failed, however, after three Republicans joined Democrats in sinking that procedural vote — Reps. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., Don Bacon, R-Neb., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky.
"I think it was not unexpected, and certainly we’ve got to find a new course to chart now," one House Republican granted anonymity to speak freely told Fox News Digital.
"This is going to change the dynamics of the type of legislation we’re going to see, and the type of political posturing the Democrats are going to do the next nine months. So we’ve got to come up with a better strategy."
But Republicans who spoke with Fox News Digital largely did not blame Johnson, arguing he was doing his best with the circumstances in front of him. Instead, much frustration was aimed at their fellow GOP lawmakers who dissented.
The move not only paved the way for a vote on Trump's Canada tariffs, but opened the door to allowing Democrats to force a vote on tariffs targeting other countries as well.
HOUSE GOP MAJORITY ON THE BRINK AS ALL-DEMOCRAT TEXAS SPECIAL CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION UNDERWAY
"A lot of people were disappointed with how that went, with the actors who voted no" rather than House leadership, a second House Republican said.
They pointed out that the following day would …
