Overview

• Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s decision to leave Congress a year early could affect control of the House, the legislative agenda and his party’s efforts to keep its majority in the 2024 election.
• McCarthy's departure will leave Republicans with just 220 votes, a minuscule majority that could complicate efforts to fund the government early next year.
• McCarthy's departure could put a dent in the G.O.P.’s ability to rake in campaign cash, although he has said he wants to continue to play a role in politics.
• A special election for Mr. Santos’s seat is set for Feb. 13, and Democrats hope to recapture the politically competitive district, which President Biden won in 2020.
• More than three dozen incumbents from both parties in both chambers have said they will not seek re-election. If even a handful more House Republicans leave in the coming months, it could wipe away their majority before a single vote is cast in the 2024 election.