Mike Johnson’s thin majority could get smaller after another GOP rep announces resignation

The House Republican majority now has to fill one more open seat in the 2024 election after yet another House Republican's resignation.

According to a statement posted to X/Twitter by Axios congressional reporter Andrew Soldender, Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-North Dakota) will not run for another term in the House of Representatives, opting instead to run for the state's open gubernatorial seat following the news of Gov. Doug Burgum's decision to not run for another term.

In the statement, Armstrong also appeared to lob a subtle shot at other members of the House Republican Caucus. While not naming any members of even mentioning Republicans, Armstrong distanced himself from members who seek "political gain" from not solving problems.

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"[T]he solutions to our biggest problems are not going to come from Washington. North Dakotans will always do better when we are in charge of our own destiny," Armstrong stated. "That's why I've decided to come home to run for Governor."

"I am excited to get back here and work with people who are interested in finding solutions, not exploiting problems for political gain," he added.

Armstrong's announcement makes him the 40th member of the House of Representatives to not run for reelection this fall, and the 18th Republican to do so. According to Ballotpedia's count, Armstrong is the seventh Republican this month alone to announce his pending exit from Congress. His announcement comes on the heels of Rep. Jeff Duncan's (R-South Carolina) retirement announcement six days ago. Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio) didn't even wait until after the election to leave, with his exit official this week after accepting an offer to be president of Youngstown State University.

House Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-Louisiana) hopes of maintaining his majority after November will be an uphill climb — particularly with a federal judge ordering his home state to draw a new congressional district to accommodate the Bayou State's Black voters. Additionally, New York's legislature has been ordered to re-draw its congressional district boundaries, which may result in Republicans losing numerous swing districts in the Empire State — particularly in Long Island, where they won control of all districts there for the first time ever in 2022.

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