(Ken Silva, Headline USA) RINO Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., announced Friday that he’ll be leaving Congress effective April 19, which will narrow the GOP House majority to one vote.
Gallagher’s press office did not explain why the World Economic Forum-affiliated congressman isn’t serving out his term. It only said he decided to leave after talking to his family.
A statement from Congressman Mike Gallagher. pic.twitter.com/dOBcM8kbNV
— Rep. Gallagher Press Office (@RepGallagher) March 22, 2024
Gallagher, the chair the Select Committee on China, had been one of the most liberal Republicans in the House.
Last year, he glad-handed with World Economic Forum oligarchs, defending his participation in the WEF on the grounds that he was in the “belly of the beast” to warn other attendees about the “existential threat” posed by the Chinese Communist Party.
More recently, Gallagher aligned himself with Democrats in the fight to impeach DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. In a 216-214 vote last month, four Republicans—Reps. Gallagher; Ken Buck, Colo.; Tom McClintock, Calif.; and Rep. Blake Moore, Utah—joined 212 Democrats to vote no on the impeachment.
Gallagher’s early departure follows a similar move from Rep. Buck, who exits Congress today, and will leave the GOP with a one-seat majority in the House.
Addressing his departure, Buck told Axios, “I think it’s the next three people that leave that they’re going to be worried about.”
Newsweek reported that as many as five Republicans could leave before the 2024 election. Gallagher was one of the congressman on this list in Newsweek’s article. The publication reached out to David Valadao, Thomas Massie, Chip Roy, Larry Bucshon Greg Pence and Gallagher—and only Roy responed with a denial that he’ll leave early.
Newsweek predicted at the time that “like Buck, Pence and Gallagher may opt to resign sooner.”
Conservative radio host Dan Bongino spelled out the implications of a Democrat-controlled House.
“Who’s going to be the speaker? Yeah, his name is Hakeem Jeffries. Wouldn’t that be interesting that never-Trumpers leave Congress right before the election? All of the investigations right before the election. The chair of those committees would change as the Democrats retake the majority,” he said last week.
Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/jd_cashless.
