(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Conservative critics are urging House Republicans to immediately expel Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wisc., following the announcement of his impending resignation by April 19.
Gallagher had previously stated his decision not to seek re-election earlier this year but has now accelerated the process by confirming his departure from the House on April 19.
Gallagher’s revised timeline blocks the possibility of holding a special election to fill the vacant seat until the following year.
Effectively, Gallagher’s resignation in late April impedes Republicans from securing a replacement in the reliably conservative district. This decision could be averted if Gallagher either resigns immediately or is expelled by his colleagues.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., is spearheading the campaign for Gallagher’s expulsion, as highlighted in an interview on Steve Bannon’s WarRoom podcast.
“I think he should be expelled preemptively because he is just allowed to just walk out of Congress on a day of his choosing where his district doesn’t get to replace him until next Congress,” Greene asserted.
Mike Gallagher’s extremely selfish decision to leave Congress early and push us towards a Hakeem Jeffries speakership should not be allowed to happen.
Mike Gallagher should be expelled so the people of Wisconsin’s 8th District can have a special election to replace him. pic.twitter.com/rx6p1JEgAw
— Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) March 23, 2024
“His district deserves a voice in Congress, and we should expel him in that way his district can replace him as quickly as possible with a special election,” Greene added.,
The Georgia lawmaker suggested that the ongoing turmoil within House Republicans is a consequence of what she describes as the “irresponsible actions” of fellow Republicans.
Greene is not alone in advocating for Gallagher’s expulsion. Several figures, including political commentator Alex Bruesewitz, conservative journalist Emerald Robinson, pro-Trump activist Ryan Fournier and podcast host Charlie Kirk, have echoed Greene’s sentiments.
However, the likelihood of such an outcome appears slim, as House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., praised Gallagher’s years of service in a statement responding to his resignation announcement.
“Mike has been a trusted friend and colleague since we both entered Congress in 2017, and it has been an honor to serve alongside him,” Johnson wrote Friday on Twitter.
The House speaker further added, “We will greatly miss his leadership on Capitol Hill, but we are happy for him, Anne, and their daughters as they begin the next exciting chapter of their lives.”
Over the past seven years, Mike Gallagher has faithfully served Wisconsin’s 8th District and all of the American people by his extraordinary work in the House, and by courageously exposing the threat Beijing poses to the U.S., especially as Chairman of the Select Committee on the… https://t.co/cp99fu0bUq
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) March 22, 2024
Gallagher has served in Congress since 2017, coinciding with Donald Trump’s inauguration as president. He has been re-elected three times and currently chairs the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.
Gallagher’s unexpectedly early resignation aligns with that of Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., who announced his decision not to seek re-election but ultimately chose to step down ahead of schedule.
With these two departures, Republicans now hold a 217 majority to Democrats’ 214. This means that Republicans can only afford one defector in legislative proceedings.
