It appears likely that the Republican majority in the House of Representatives will shrink again when a potential government shutdown showdown arrives later this year. The GOP held a 239- to 193-seat majority in the chamber at the start of this Congress, but that majority has now dwindled to just three seats (a 222-to-213 advantage). With several races still too close to call and the party’s majority shrinking further over the next two weeks, many analysts expect the chamber to be evenly split by the time the government’s current funding runs out in early April.
This could make any future budget fight even more contentious than it has been over the past decade, with the GOP relying on Democratic votes to pass any spending measures they support. Given that Democrats typically support more liberal-minded fiscal policies and Republicans have more conservative ones, there could be a clash between the White House and Congress that could lead to a disruption of government services.
Furthermore, even if the Republicans do manage to retain a small majority, it could be a much weaker one than many of them expected or hoped for. This could make them less likely to push for unpopular measures, such as steep spending cuts or draconian immigration policies, knowing that any action they take could further weaken their already diminished political capital.
