(Nov. 12) Working with an extremely thin Republican majority in the House, President-elect Donald Trump should not be appointing House Members to his administration. In doing so, he hurts his legislative agenda and undermines the importance of legislating itself.
As of this writing, Trump has announced the selection of two Republican representatives: Reps. Mike Waltz (R-FL) as national security adviser and Elise Stefanik (R-NY) as ambassador to the United Nations. (The latter post requires Senate confirmation.) Several other House members, potentially including Mike Rogers of Alabama for Secretary of Defense, reportedly are under consideration, although Speaker Mike Johnson says that Trump “fully understands and appreciates the math here.”
With due respect, if Trump appreciated it enough, he would not appoint Stefanik and Waltz. It takes 218 seats for a party to hold a House majority. As of this writing, the Associated Press and the New York Times both say Republicans have won 214 seats to 205 for the Democrats, with 16 still undetermined, while the respected Decision Desk HQ says the GOP has won 219 to the Democrats’ 210, with six races still uncalled. Each party leads in three of those six right now.
The likelihood, then, is that Republicans will hold around 222 seats, just four clear of majority status. If Stefanik and Waltz leave the House, the margin would fall to 220-213, and remain that way for months while special-election campaigns ensue to fill those spots. Alas, it’s a restless majority. All the same malcontents who pushed California’s Kevin McCarthy from the speakership and then tried to do the same, just a few months later, to Johnson, will remain in the House. They include wild conspiracy theorists, peddlers of horribly insensitive racial remarks, and outlandish demagogues. With Stefanik and Waltz gone, just four defections from among this rump caucus of between eight and 15 representatives could stop the Republican legislative agenda in its tracks…. [The full column is here.]
