House GOP's tiny majority helps kill a bid for governor
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Rep. Kevin Hern at the U.S. Capitol on May 22, 2024. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images.
Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.) said Monday he will not run for governor of Oklahoma in 2026, citing concerns about attendance in the 119th Congress.
Why it matters: With their majority set to dwindle to 217-215 by late January, House Republicans will likely need every one of their members present and voting to pass key legislation.
- That presents an additional calculation for the roughly two dozen House members in both parties flirting with runs for higher office to consider.
Driving the news: In a letter released Monday, Hern wrote that by the time President-elect Trump is sworn in on Jan. 20, "our majority will likely stand at 217-215, giving us a one-vote margin to pass any legislation through the House."
- "This slim majority will last beyond President Trump's first 100 days in office. Put simply, one member of the House could obstruct President Trump's agenda, and I will not let that be me," he added.
- Hern wrote that he "cannot in good conscience take precious time away from the job that my constituents elected me to do in Congress to run for a statewide office at home."
- Hern was elected chair of the House Republican Policy Committee last month, making him a member of GOP leadership.
Zoom out: Hern is one of many ambitious House members who have been considering a gubernatorial or Senate run.
- Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) are already declared candidates in the 2025 election for New Jersey governor.
- Both lawmakers told the New Jersey Globe they are working with leadership to ensure they don't miss key votes where their attendance is outcome determinative.
Between the lines: Leaders in both parties are alert to the coming attendance headaches they will face in the next Congress.
- Health problems, family troubles and even inclement weather can all cause unexpected absences.
- Still, the potential effects of bids for higher office on attendance are a particular sore spot, with a senior House Democrat telling Axios there is some preemptive "grumbling among members" on the subject.
