House Republicans concluded their session for the Easter recess amidst a flurry of internal strife, grappling with discontent among their base, a weakened majority, and the looming specter of their speaker facing potential removal at the hands of fellow MAGA supporters.

The Senate's passage of a $1.2 trillion spending bill in the early hours of Friday served as just one facet of a tumultuous day on Capitol Hill.

Republicans livid as chaos threatens to cannibalize House majority https://t.co/QTGbueiQaE

— Jeffrey Levin 🇺🇦 (@jilevin) March 23, 2024

Major uproar

The Republican-controlled House greenlit the spending bill shortly before noon on Friday, despite more than half of the House GOP conference, including many hardliners, voting against it.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), representing the dissatisfied hardline faction, introduced a motion aimed at ousting Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), exacerbating internal divisions within the party.

Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI), departing chair of the House China Select Committee, unexpectedly announced his resignation on the same day, diminishing the Republican majority to a mere single seat.

Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO), also departing early, aligned himself with a Democratic petition advocating for a vote on Ukraine aid, in defiance of GOP leadership.

Change coming

House Oversight Committee chair James Comer (R-KY) indicated the conclusion of an inquiry into impeaching President Biden without a formal vote.

Behind closed doors, Republicans voiced frustration over Gallagher and Buck's premature departures, with apprehensions surfacing regarding a potential shift in House majority dynamics favoring Democrats.

Conservative lawmakers cited burnout from the tumultuous 118th Congress, characterized by repeated speaker's races, stalled spending bills, and persistent internal discord, as a significant factor contributing to the rash of resignations.

Democrats react

House Democrats viewed the turmoil within the GOP with a sense of vindication, with one member expressing relief at being affiliated with the Democratic Party.

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) interpreted Gallagher's resignation as a pointed critique aimed at the factional strife perpetuated by figures like Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene within the GOP ranks.

Amidst the chaos, former Rep. George Santos announced his departure from the Republican Party, opting to run as an independent candidate in New York, citing the GOP's perceived state of disarray as a motivating factor.

The events underscored the deep-seated divisions and challenges confronting the Republican Party as they navigated through a pivotal moment in the congressional calendar.

The chaos also comes as former President Donald Trump continues to face multiple legal battles in his comeback bid against Biden in November.