House GOP majority to shrink again in time for potential government shutdown showdown
It appears likely that the size of the Republican majority in the House of Representatives will shrink again in time for a potential government shutdown showdown in December.
With roughly a dozen races still undecided and more of them trending away from GOP candidates, Republicans are set to enter the 113th Congress with no more than 234 members, the narrowest majority the party held in the chamber over the past two decades.
The Republican majority has been whittled down from the 245-seat total the GOP held when the 112th Congress opened in 2011. Democrats will need to win 17 seats to reclaim the majority, according to the Cook Political Report.
If the Republican majority shrinks further, as already appears likely, it could create larger divides within the party and make it more difficult for Speaker John Boehner to hold together members on fiscal and social issues.
Ultimately, if the majority continues to shrink, the GOP may have a more difficult time getting enough support to pass bills and legislation in the House. This could cause problems for the Republican agenda and, in turn, create future government shutdown scenarios.