Marjorie Taylor Greene's departure is a canary in a coal mine for MAGA

Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's shocking Friday night resignation announcement could have a domino effect in Congress, with multiple GOP lawmakers telling Punchbowl News that they, too, may leave their seats before their terms expire.

The unnamed House Republicans told Punchbowl News that Greene's prediction that the GOP will lose control of the House in the 2026 midterms is correct, and that they are sick of House Speaker Mike Johnson not sticking up for his caucus members out of subservience to President Donald Trump.

“This entire White House team has treated ALL members like garbage. ALL. And Mike Johnson has let it happen because he wanted it to happen," the unnamed Republican told Punchbowl News—a comment that would have had more weight if they put their name to it but is eye-popping nonetheless. "That is the sentiment of nearly all — appropriators, authorizers, hawks, doves, rank and file. The arrogance of this White House team is off putting to members who are run roughshod and threatened. They don’t even allow little wins like announcing small grants or even responding from agencies. Not even the high profile, the regular rank and file random members are more upset than ever. Members know they are going into the minority after the midterms."

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The same unnamed lawmaker predicted that "more explosive early resignations are coming"—which could be devastating to Republicans, as their majority is so small that any resignations could lead Democrats to be in the majority.

"It’s a tinder box," the lawmaker told Punchbowl. "Morale has never been lower. Mike Johnson will be stripped of his gavel and they will lose the majority before this term is out.”

Whoever this lawmaker is, they are correct that Trump has treated Congress like shit.

He’s ignored the laws they pass to do whatever he wants. He’s attacked lawmakers who dare defy his orders (see: Massie, Thomas). He’s blown up Republicans’ message (see: Mamdani, Zohran). And Johnson—rather than defend his members—has taken Trump’s side in every battle, even when it makes Johnson look like a schmuck in the process. 

As it stands, Republicans currently have 219 seats to Democrats' 213.

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Greene's resignation in January will bring Republicans to just 218 seats—the literal bare majority. And that makes the Dec. 2 special election in Tennessee’s 7th District—where Republicans are being forced to spend big defending a seat that should be nowhere close to competitive—a must-win for Republicans.

No matter what happens, Trump and Johnson’s House majority is so narrow that any surprise resignations could flip control of the House to Democrats. Lawmakers usually discuss their future plans during the holiday recess, so if surprise resignations were to happen, expect those announcements in early January. 

Trump, for his part, is so fearful that the GOP House majority will fall that he forced Republicans to rush to gerrymander their congressional maps in order to make more seats unwinnable for Democrats.

However, the effort could backfire, as Texas' map is currently caught in legal limbo. Trump's approval being in the toilet and Democrats ascendent on the generic ballot—which asks voters which party they want to see control Congress—hint that no amount of mid-decade gerrymandering could save the GOP's skin.

You’d think that all of this would make Trump want to moderate his message to try to stave off electoral doom next November. But Trump is an egomaniac who never believes he’s wrong and, when backed into a corner, chooses to lash out rather than take the L and move on. Expect nothing less now.

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