House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has sworn in two new members of the Republican conference, giving him a three-seat majority ahead of a crucial budget fight in the coming weeks.
Reps. Jimmy Patronis (R-FL) and Randy Fine (R-FL) became the latest members of the House just one day after their victories in Florida’s special elections to fill the seats of former Rep. Matt Gaetz and now-national security adviser Mike Waltz.
“As a lifelong native of the Florida Panhandle, I’m ready to get to work to support President Trump’s agenda to make America first, to protect our southern border, to make groceries affordable, strengthen our military, provide much-needed support to our veterans,” Patronis said.
He continued, “With the Republican majority here in Congress, President Trump and the White House, we’ve got the opportunity of a lifetime to fix this country so our children grow up in a nation that’s safe and full of opportunities. So I’m ready to get our fiscal house in order.”
Fine similarly expressed wanting to advance President Donald Trump’s vision for the country, saying it “is an honor of a lifetime that God’s plan for me is to come and help all of you implement that plan.”
“But today is also a sad day for me because the person I most wish could be here to watch this can’t be here. I will tell you a story about my mom. She was my biggest champion. She was the one who taught me how to fight,” Fine said. “And if you don’t know me, and if you haven’t followed me, ‘fighter’ will be the word that you know soon enough.”
Patronis won in Florida’s 1st Congressional District with 56.7% of the vote compared to Democrat Gay Valimont’s 42.3%, with 95% of ballots counted as of Wednesday evening. Fine, whose race gave Republicans some heartburn ahead of Election Day, won in the 6th District with 56.7% to Democrat Joshua Weil’s 42.7%, with 95% of ballots counted.
Republicans faced a dwindling majority after Gaetz and Waltz resigned from the House, making Johnson’s job more difficult as he has worked to advance President Donald Trump’s agenda. The GOP conference will now hold a 220-213 majority, with two Democratic vacancies due to the deaths of Reps. Sylvester Turner (D-TX) and Raul Grijalva (D-AZ).
Concerns about Republicans’ thin margins contributed to Trump pulling Rep. Elise Stefanik’s (R-NY) nomination to serve as his U.N. ambassador. Trump has not yet named who will take that mantle instead.
The swearing-in of Patronis and Fine comes as Republicans are trying to pass a massive spending bill using a budget process known as reconciliation. Johnson has set an ambitious goal of sending the legislation to Trump’s desk by Memorial Day.
Senate Republicans released their blueprint on Wednesday, meaning the House could take up the measure as soon as next week.
Johnson’s narrow margins also contributed to a procedural step failing on the House floor on Tuesday, leading Republicans to cancel votes for the remainder of the week.
Nine Republicans joined Democrats in blocking a measure that would allow proxy voting for new parents over the objections of Johnson.