U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) walks to attend a press conference, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 10, 2026. REUTERS/Kent Nishimura
Speaker Mike Johnson is pulling out all the stops to keep retiring Rep. Neal Dunn from bolting early, as the Florida Republican's potential departure threatens to erode what's left of the GOP's razor-thin House majority.
The 72-year-old Dunn has signaled he won't seek reelection, but Johnson is now openly begging him to at least stick around until the end of his term, Politico reported.
The stakes are high as Republicans can't afford to lose a single vote on party-line measures.
Senior House Republicans are bracing for impact, with multiple sources saying Dunn appears determined to step down in the coming months, despite Johnson's personal intervention.
"“Neal Dunn is a beloved member of Congress and a great man, and you know, he’s informed us he’s not going to run for reelection,” Johnson told reporters Wednesday. Dunn's plans beyond that are murky.
“I’m not sure — you need to ask him about it. But I’ve encouraged him to stay and be a part of this, and I think he wants to do that," said Johnson.
Dunn, who holds a safe Republican seat in northern Florida, refused to elaborate on his timeline when pressed.
"No comment," he said.
Colleagues have whispered recently that health concerns may have driven his exit plan. Dunn has been spotted wearing a mask on the House floor recently. When asked directly about the speculation, he deflected with a quip: "Don't I look good?"