OPINION:
A handful of votes separate President Biden and congressional Democrats from enacting any policy on their wish list — including a bill to keep former President Donald Trump out of the White House. Rep. Mike Gallagher, Wisconsin Republican, opened the door to these possibilities Friday as he announced he was giving up his congressional seat, effective April 19.
The choice of that date reflects a particular spitefulness, as the deadline for calling a special election to fill a vacancy in the Badger State will have passed on April 9. As a result, residents of Green Bay, Appleton and Oshkosh will have no representation because Mr. Gallagher wants it that way.
Mr. Gallagher’s surprise move follows that of Colorado Republican Rep. Ken Buck, who stepped down on Friday.
With a full House, it takes a minimum of 218 votes to wield the speaker’s gavel. Next month, however, the Republican advantage falls to a precarious 217 to 213. The GOP will need every member on board with each vote, because it can afford only one defection.
This also means that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, New York Democrat, is a handful of resignations, illnesses, indictments or accidents away from evicting Rep. Mike Johnson, Louisiana Republican, from the speaker’s office — without having to win a single election.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recognized the opportunity on Sunday, saying the prospect of Mr. Jeffries as speaker is “an increasingly likely reality day after day as Republicans pursue midterm resignations.” The New York Democrat’s comments on CNN’s “State of the Union” followed an extensive discussion of Mr. Trump’s legal battles.
Were Mr. Jeffries to pull this off, fellow House Democrats would immediately pressure him to advance already-filed legislation declaring Mr. Biden’s leading rival an insurrectionist under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. The Supreme Court has said the legislative branch could do just that in Trump v. Anderson, the Colorado ballot access case ruling, writing that “it is Congress that has long given effect to Section 3 with respect to would-be or existing federal office-holders.”
This would delete Mr. Trump’s name from the ballot in all 50 states and effectively reelect Mr. Biden by default. That would be an irreversible and dark move for our constitutional republic. One would hope Democrats stick with slightly less destructive ideas, such as enacting blanket student debt forgiveness, amnesty and voting rights for illegal immigrants, or any number of the left’s priorities.
Such scenarios may have played into Mr. Johnson’s decision to disappoint conservatives and pass the swampy $1.2 trillion spending extravaganza with more Republicans voting against the package than for it. He likely calculated the political damage caused by endless media stories about “dysfunction” following a government shutdown would exceed the benefit of holding the line on fiscal restraint.
Fortunately, the GOP has reinforcements on the way. Voters in California’s Central Valley will decide in May between sending either Vince Fong or Mike Boudreaux — both Republicans — to replace ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy. In June, special elections will fill the seats of Mr. Buck and Ohio Rep. Bill Johnson, who quit to take a job as Youngstown State University president.
Until the cavalry is sworn in, members of the House GOP better look twice before crossing the street.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.