Democrats in the United States have launched a bold political offensive, claiming that House Speaker Mike Johnson is among a significant group of Republicans poised to resign from Congress in the coming weeks. They assert that intense party infighting is sparking a mass exodus within the GOP ranks.
Democrats Seize on Republican Turmoil
The Congressional Democrats' campaign arm, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), has sensationally claimed that 16 Republican members are considering retirement. This move comes in the wake of recent electoral setbacks for the GOP and a major internal rift over the release of documents related to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Brooke Butler, the DCCC's National Political Director, told The Daily Mail: 'The House Republican Conference is collapsing in real-time as Deputy Speaker Mike Johnson has lost the confidence of his members and surrenders complete control to Donald Trump.' To underscore their point, the DCCC even released a provocative 'GOP Retirement Watch' Bingo card featuring the 16 lawmakers they believe are on their way out.
'As Republican members of Congress head home for the holidays, we expect many of these phonies to also head running for the exits,' the committee stated.
Leadership Under Fire from Within
Speaker Johnson has faced mounting criticism from within his own caucus, particularly from several high-profile women. New York's Elise Stefanik recently stated that Johnson 'wouldn't have the votes' to retain his speakership if a vote were held today. This sentiment echoes reports in NBC News and the Wall Street Journal detailing discontent among female GOP members.
While Stefanik is not on the Democrats' list, fellow Republican Nancy Mace of South Carolina was named. Mace, who is also running for governor, vehemently denied rumours of a planned meeting with Marjorie Taylor Greene to discuss quitting. 'I loathe how slow Congress moves. I loathe we haven’t delivered on President Trump’s agenda,' Mace wrote online, before adding, 'Nowhere did I say I was retiring. My retirement is a BIG FAT NO.'
The Democrats' 'Retirement Watch List' includes: Mike Johnson, Nancy Mace, Mike Rogers (Alabama), David Valadao and Darrell Issa (California), Carlos Gimenez (Florida), Victoria Spartz (Indiana), Bill Huizenga (Michigan), Ann Wagner and Sam Graves (Missouri), Jeff Van Drew (New Jersey), Chuck Edwards (North Carolina), Mike Turner (Ohio), Tony Gonzales (Texas), and Rob Wittman (Virginia).
Context of a Growing GOP Crisis
The alleged exodus follows a significant split among Congressional Republicans, many of whom voted to force the Trump administration to release the full Epstein files. This internal discord compounds the party's challenges after unexpected electoral underperformances in recent special elections, which have raised serious questions about voter enthusiasm ahead of the 2026 midterms.
The situation is further complicated by the imminent departure of Marjorie Taylor Greene, who announced her resignation last month, effective January 2026. In a lengthy statement, Greene expressed profound frustration with the political establishment and her own party's legislative inertia, despite controlling the presidency and Congress.
Speaker Johnson's majority remains precarious with Greene's pending exit. While Johnson has dismissed suggestions he is stepping down, and the NRCC has not commented, the narrative of a party in disarray is being aggressively promoted by its political opponents. The coming weeks will test whether the Democrats' predictions prove accurate or are merely a shrewd piece of political warfare.
