The partisan divide in the House of Representatives is expected to worsen next year, with a former lawmaker calling it a "nightmarish" scenario.
When Republicans took control of the House two years ago, they held control with a margin of 222–213. Now, Republicans hold power with just 219 seats, with a few races still too close to call or battling over recounts.
Speaking to MSNBC on Tuesday, former Rep. Carlos Curbelo (D-FL) promised that the early part of the year was going to be chaos with Congress likely at a standstill.
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"Listen, the first quarter of next year is going to be nightmarish for House Republicans," Curbelo predicted. "Every day is going to be an adventure because if someone gets sick if someone gets delayed if someone is on a trip and can't get back to the United States or can't get back to Washington, you cannot move legislation."
He pointed out that Trump has a "very ambitious agenda," and will want to move quickly to pass as much legislation as possible. However, with so many lawmakers leaving the House to join the administration, there might be vacancies until late spring or early summer.
"I think you really might see a situation where some of these more high-stake votes like reconciliation bill might be pushed into the spring or the summer of next year, just because the margins are going to be so tight early in the next Congress," said Curbelo. "And by the way, we're talking about delays and things like this."
He also pointed out that "any two or three members can band together and sink legislation."
It might be the reason "Republicans look for a little breathing room and postpone some of the more controversial votes on legislation until later in the year," he said.
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