Republicans Worried About Trump’s Picks

As the House Republican leadership prepares for another closely divided majority in the next Congress, they are urging President-elect Donald Trump to refrain from tapping any more GOP members for positions in his upcoming administration. With the GOP holding a slim majority, losing more House members to the executive branch could have significant consequences on their ability to pass legislation.

Trump has already selected two Republican members of Congress for high-profile roles: Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) as National Security Advisor. Both will have to resign their seats to take on their new roles, leaving Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) with even fewer votes in the House—a situation that could delay legislation and complicate party efforts to enact its agenda.

Currently, the GOP holds a narrow majority in the House, with projections indicating 219 GOP seats and 210 for Democrats, though six races remain uncalled. Losing Stefanik and Waltz would reduce that majority, and filling their vacancies could take months. Given the House’s fragile balance, every vote matters, especially with a conference as divided as the current Republican one, where members have often broken ranks.

Speaker Johnson has expressed optimism that Trump understands the delicate dynamics of the House. “President Trump and I have talked about this extensively,” Johnson said. “He knows the numbers game, and he appreciates the math.” He emphasized that while Trump has a wealth of talented Republicans to choose from for his Cabinet, he understands the importance of maintaining a functioning majority in the House.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) also praised Trump’s Cabinet selections but echoed concerns about further House departures. “He’s already pulled a few really talented people out of the House,” Scalise said. “Hopefully, no more until we can hold special elections.”

Despite these concerns, several other House Republicans remain in the running for top Cabinet positions. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) is reportedly under consideration for Defense Secretary, Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) for Transportation Secretary, and Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.) for Agriculture Secretary.

For now, House Republicans are hoping for a bit of stability as they navigate the delicate balancing act of retaining enough votes to pass critical legislation while also accommodating the president’s need to assemble his administration. Filling the vacancies left by Stefanik and Waltz is expected to be a drawn-out process, particularly in New York, where Governor Kathy Hochul (D) will have to announce a special election soon after Stefanik resigns. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R), on the other hand, will have more flexibility in setting the timeline for Waltz’s special election.

As the new Congress convenes, Republicans know that every seat will count. If they hope to pass meaningful legislation and deliver on their agenda, they’ll need to keep their majority intact—no easy task with several key members heading to the White House.