Rep. Bill Johnson to leave Congress earlier than expected

House Republicans barely control the lower chamber as it is, and that margin is about to become a lot thinner.

According to Newsmax, Ohio Rep. Bill Johnson (R), who announced his retirement earlier this year, adjusted the timeline this week. He will now leave Congress by Jan. 21.

That leaves House Republicans in a pickle, as they've already struggled with internal control battles that could ramp up again in new legislative pushes.

His exit will dwindle the House Republican majority to 219-213.

Johnson's exit is due to his transfer to the private sector. The day after he leaves Congress, he will take over as the president of Youngstown State University.

Ohio GOP Rep. Bill Johnson will resign from Congress on Jan. 21 to become the new head of Youngstown State University, a move that will further shrink the tight House GOP majority. https://t.co/xhny7xYRmi

— POLITICO (@politico) January 2, 2024

The Washington Examiner noted:

Johnson was expected to start his new job on March 15, but the congressman will be leaving the House earlier, according to a message sent out by Michael Peterson, chairman of the YSU Board of Trustees.

"With his contract indicating he would start prior to March 15, 2024, we are excited to have him on campus earlier than anticipated," Peterson's statement read. "In the meantime, Bill will continue to visit campus as often as his schedule allows to continue meeting with students, faculty and staff."

Adding to the threat to the Republican's majority in the lower chamber is an upcoming special election to replace disgraced former Rep. George Santos (NY). If a Democrat wins that race, the majority will narrow even further.

Newsmax added:

Meanwhile, a special election to fill Santos' seat is set for Feb. 13 between Republican Mazi Pilip and Democrat Tom Suozzi, and a Suozzi victory will narrow the GOP's majority even further.

Although, even if a Democrat wins that race, New York Rep. Brian Higgins (D) will leave Congress in February, which could give a slight boost to the Republican side of the aisle.

With a string of resignation announcements and possibly more to come before the 2024 election, there's no telling what the final makeup of the House Republican Conference will be.

Social media users reacted to the news of Johnson's updated exit date.

"Go be a state bureaucrat for big money. Amazing what top officials at these state institutions make. Obscene rather," one X user wrote.