Mike Gallagher resigning

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Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., who announced last month he would not run for re-election, will resign from Congress early, he confirmed in a statement Friday.

Gallagher’s departure before the end of his term in January is another blow to Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and House Republicans, who have been struggling to govern and demonstrate stability in this Congress.

Two sources familiar with the matter told NBC News of Gallagher's plan to resign early Friday. The Wisconsin Republican then released a statement announcing that he will depart April 19.

Gallagher informed Johnson of his decision earlier this week. Johnson, in a post on X, praised Gallagher's "extraordinary work in the House" and for "courageously exposing the threat Beijing poses to the U.S."

His resignation could cause more headaches for House Republicans. Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., who also is not seeking re-election, is resigning from Congress on Friday, cutting the GOP’s minuscule majority to 218-213. When Gallagher leaves, the majority would further shrink to 217-213, meaning Republicans could only afford a single defection on any vote if Democrats vote together.

Gallagher’s decision to leave April 19 also means that there will not be a special election to fill his seat. Under Wisconsin state law, vacancies after the second Tuesday in April are filled in the general election, so Gallagher’s replacement will be decided in November and his seat will remain empty until January.

A source close to Gallagher said the decision to leave was in the works and not related to anything happening in House lately. Gallagher has a young family that he and his wife hope to grow and the House schedule is not conducive to that, the source said.

Gallagher, 40, an Iraq War veteran, is the chairman of the select committee investigating the Chinese Communist Party, and serves on the Intelligence Committee. It’s highly unusual for a committee chairman to resign in the middle of the term.

But Gallagher, an institutionalist first elected to Congress in 2016, has grown frustrated with his own party. He was one of three Republicans who voted against the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas last month.

He is one of several top Republican chairmen who are not running for re-election in November following a tumultuous House session.