INTERNACIONAL
Reporter’s Notebook: House math turns tricky as Greene resignation tightens GOP grip on power
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
It’s about the math.
And the math in the House of Representatives got much more interesting Friday night when Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., announced she would resign in January.
The current breakdown in the House is 219-213 in favor of Republicans with three vacancies: Former Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., retired. The late Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Texas, died. Former Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., resigned late last week after voters elected her governor of New Jersey. The House finally swore in Rep. Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., six weeks after she prevailed in her special election in September to succeed her late father. Late Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., died earlier this year.
The six-seat margin means that the GOP can only lose two votes on the floor and still pass a bill without help from the Democrats.
HEADED FOR THE EXITS: WHY 3-DOZEN HOUSE MEMBERS AREN’T RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION
Chair of the Subcommittee on Delivering On Government Efficiency (DOGE) Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene presides over a hearing of the House Oversight Subcommittee in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Feb. 26, 2025. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
But the math in the coming weeks and months quickly gets dicey for the GOP.
Greene does not step aside until Jan. 5. So let’s run through the numbers and permutations which could evolve over the next few months.
There’s a special election in Tennessee to succeed former House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green on Dec. 2. President Donald Trump carried the district by 22 points last fall. Green bested his opponent – former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry, a Democrat, by 21 points. So Republicans are expected to hold this seat.
Speaker Mike Johnson and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
But there is something important to know about special elections: they’re special. They sometimes produce weird results because the usual voting electorate doesn’t show up. Plus, surges by one party or the other in a special election held in either a deeply blue or ruby red district sometimes signals a boost for the party. Strong performances or even upsets sometimes portend what’s ahead in the next election. They also signal a referendum on the President.
For instance, in 2017, Democrats were competitive in four GOP seats of House members who departed to join the Trump administration. But even though the Democrats ran well, they still failed to flip any of those seats. Former Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Kan., stepped down to become CIA Director. Rep. Ron Estes, R-Kan., then won that seat by a mere six points. Current Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., resigned to become Interior Secretary. Former Rep. and current Gov. Greg Gianforte, R-Mont., won – but only by five points and less than 50 percent of the vote. Former Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., resigned to become Health and Human Services Secretary. Former Rep. Karen Handel, R-Ga., won by only three points over current Sen. Jon Ossoff, R-Ga. Former Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C., left his House seat to become Budget Director and later White House Chief of Staff. Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., succeeded Mulvaney. But Norman won by only three percentage points.
BATTLE FOR THE HOUSE: GOP GETS BOOST IN BID TO FLIP SWING DISTRICT AFTER DEMOCRAT BOWS OUT
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., center, joined by, from left, Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., talks with reporters. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo)
Even though Democrats failed to flip any of those seats, they made the GOP sweat and put up strong showings. Some analysts viewed the Democrats’ performances in those contests as a sign of things to come in the 2018 midterms and President Trump’s weakness.
Democrats then reclaimed control of the House in the 2018 midterms and won 40 seats.
Republican Matt Van Epps faces Democrat Aftyn Behn next week in the special election to succeed Green in Tennessee. Democrats are pouring money into that contest hoping they can flip the seat.
If they do, the GOP majority dwindles to 219-214. But if Van Epps prevails, the GOP gets some space with a 220-213 majority.
But that only lasts until Greene steps down in January. So the majority would dwindle to 219-213.
Remember that you cannot appoint someone to the House. So you have to wait for special elections. The Georgia special election to succeed Greene wouldn’t happen until March.
But there’s lots to happen before then.
There is a special election runoff to replace Democrat Sylvester Turner on Jan. 31. Democrats will hold that seat with two of their own in the runoff. But government funding expires on Jan. 30. One wonders if House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., might hold off swearing-in a prospective Democratic successor to Turner if the House is out for similar reasons as to why the Speaker refrained from swearing-in Adelita Grijalva.
HOUSE GOP CAMPAIGN CHAIR WANTS TRUMP ‘OUT THERE ON THE TRAIL’ IN MIDTERM BATTLE FOR MAJORITY
Tennessee state Rep. Aftyn Behn speaks to members of the audience before the start of a Democratic Party forum for candidates running for the 7th Congressional District special election at the Fairview Recreation Center in Fairview on Sept. 7, 2025. (Alan Poizner-For The Tennessean/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
So, presuming Van Epps wins, and with Greene gone and either Democrats Amanda Edwards or Christian Menefee winning the Turner seat in Texas, the GOP majority dips to 219-214. It’s a margin of five. But again, Republicans can only lose two votes and not need help from the other side.
Now we’re back to a special election in March for Greene’s seat. Again, Democrats will try to make that competitive. But for the sake of argument, let’s say the GOP wins. The Republican majority climbs to 220-214.
So at this stage, we are down to only one vacancy in the House – presuming no one else quits or, God forbid, dies. The special election to succeed Sherrill will come in April. Again, Democrats should hold that seat. But special elections are just that: special. Republicans will certainly try to flip that seat. But if Democrats hold on and the House is at full strength, the GOP majority will sit at 220-215.
This scenario presumes both parties win everything they’re supposed to win.
DEMOCRATS SEE MANDATE AFTER 2025 WINS — REPUBLICANS SAY IT’S A MIRAGE
Sunrise light hits the U.S. Capitol dome on Jan. 2, 2025, as the 119th Congress is set to begin Friday. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
But what happens if Democrats were to flip the open seats in Tennessee and Georgia and win the special elections in Texas and New Jersey? In that scenario, you’re looking at a 218-217 Republican majority next spring.
Again, we’re positing that no one dies or retires mid-term.
The House is not a very pleasant place to be right now. That’s why some lawmakers may look for the exits early.
And, there’s an old saying that «death will come. And it’s always out of season.»
Sylvester Turner was a freshman Democrat and had been a Member of the House for barely two months. He attended President Trump’s State of the Union speech in early March. Turner died overnight.
Grijalva had suffered from cancer for years. He died eight days after Turner. By spring, late Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., died from cancer – just months after becoming the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
The late Rep. Donald Payne Jr., D-N.J., died last year after bouts with various health issues. Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., succeeded him in the fall.
The Senate majority has flipped a couple of times in the middle of Congress. The House majority has never switched in the middle of Congress. That may not be the case now. But the tenuous hold on power for the GOP has been the story of the House since the 2022 midterms. It’s one of the tightest majorities in history. And it wouldn’t take much to shift power.
politics,mike johnson,congress,republicans,house of representatives politics
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday touted new momentum toward ending the country’s war with Russia after a high-level call with President Donald Trump’s envoys, pointing to progress on a U.S.-backed security deal.
Zelenskyy announced in an X post that he and his officials had a «positive» conversation with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, along with Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte with talks centered around forging a «dignified peace.»
«We agreed to strengthen security guarantees, and I have already instructed our team to promptly update the documents so that the security guarantees for Ukraine are strong, the prospects for post-war reconstruction are real, and everything is doable,» Zelenskyy wrote.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a meeting Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (@ZelenskyyUa via X)
WITKOFF AND KUSHNER SCHEDULED TO MEET PUTIN IN MOSCOW
He emphasized Ukraine needs clear agreements so that its citizens understand exactly how international partners will respond to deter any renewed Russian aggression.
«We need strong, shared positions, and Ukraine’s contribution to this strength is unquestionable,» Zelenskyy wrote. «… I expect that the teams will work substantively in the coming days so that we can all feel progress. A trilateral format — a leaders’ format — all of this is necessary.»
Ukranian leaders at a meeting discussing the Ukraine-Russia war Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (@ZelenskyyUa via X)
TRUMP CONFIRMS HE INVITED PUTIN TO JOIN HIS BOARD OF PEACE: ‘HE’S BEEN INVITED’
In a subsequent video, Zelenskyy reported Russia launched a massive wave of more than 700 drones Wednesday, including «shaheds,» targeting Ukraine’s energy sites, food warehouses and residential buildings across multiple regions.
Although Ukrainian forces intercepted roughly 90% of the incoming drones, Zelenskyy condemned the bombardment as Russia’s direct response to Ukraine’s proposal for an Easter ceasefire.
Leaders meet to discuss the Ukraine-Russia war Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (@ZelenskyyUa via X)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
He noted that a halt in fighting during the holidays was intended to be a signal that diplomacy could be successful.
Beyond the U.S. and Europe, Zelenskyy said Defense Minister Rustem Umerov is working to secure long-term defense contracts with several Middle Eastern nations, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, Kuwait, Iraq, Bahrain and Turkey.
volodymyr zelenskyy, ukraine, russia, world politics, wars
Las repercusiones económicas de la guerra en Medio Oriente, que se encuentra ya en su quinta semana, están afectando a consumidores y empresas de todo el mundo y elevando el precio de productos básicos como los alimentos y el combustible.
“Aunque la guerra podría influir en la economía mundial de diferentes maneras, todos los caminos conducen a precios más altos y a un crecimiento más lento”, escribieron esta semana los principales economistas del Fondo Monetario Internacional.
El martes, las señales de tensión podían verse en las proyecciones más recientes de un fuerte aumento de la pobreza en todo el mundo árabe, un gran incremento de la inflación en Europa y nuevos máximos de los precios de la gasolina en Estados Unidos.
Los efectos son especialmente onerosos para los países pobres, que disponen de menos recursos. Los países de África, Asia del Sur, America latina y partes de Medio Oriente que importan la mayor parte de su energía se encuentran en una situación especialmente difícil para hacer frente a unos costos desorbitados.
Para estas economías, el efecto es como “un impuesto grande y repentino sobre los ingresos”, explicaron los economistas del FMI.
Sin embargo, aunque los países puedan conseguir los fondos, es posible que no dispongan de suministros de petróleo, gas y muchos otros productos básicos cruciales debido al bloqueo efectivo por parte de Irán del estrecho de Ormuz, una ruta marítima clave, así como a los daños que sufrieron infraestructuras energéticas en toda la región del golfo Pérsico.
Alrededor de un tercio del fertilizante mundial se transporta a través del estrecho de Ormuz. Con el comienzo de la temporada de siembra en el hemisferio norte, la escasez de fertilizantes ahora puede dar lugar a cosechas más pequeñas y a un aumento de los precios de los alimentos más adelante.
La escasez de otros materiales producidos en el Golfo, como el helio, el azufre y solventes que se utilizan para procesar plásticos, puede ralentizar la producción industrial, lo que hundiría el crecimiento de algunos países.
ARCHIVO – Barcos navegan por el golfo Pérsico hacia el estrecho de Ormuz mientras se pone el sol en Emiratos Árabes Unidos, el lunes 23 de marzo de 2026. (AP Foto, Archivo)
Para muchos habitantes de Medio Oriente, el panorama es especialmente inquietante. Un informe reciente de las Naciones Unidas (ONU) estima que la guerra podría llevar a la pobreza a cuatro millones de personas más en todo el mundo árabe y reducir la producción de la región en más de 100.000 millones de dólares.
En Europa, el aumento de los precios de la energía provocado por la guerra contribuyó a elevar la inflación en los 21 países que utilizan el euro, lo que hace temer que los banqueros centrales suban los tipos de interés si los precios siguen disparándose.
Los precios al consumidor en la eurozona subieron a una tasa anual del 2,5 por ciento en marzo, el ritmo más rápido en un año, según informó el martes la agencia de estadística del bloque. El aumento en febrero fue del 1,9 por ciento.
Christine Lagarde, presidenta del Banco Central Europeo, dijo la semana pasada que los responsables de las políticas estaban preparados para subir los tipos de interés si la inflación persistía por encima del objetivo del banco del 2 por ciento.
En Estados Unidos, la gasolina (nafta) superó el martes un promedio de 4 dólares el galón, un umbral que no alcanzaba desde agosto de 2022. Desde finales de febrero, el costo promedio de la gasolina normal ha subido 35 por ciento, según datos del club automovilístico AAA.
Una persona repostando combustible en una gasolinera, el martes 17 de marzo de 2026, en Baltimore. (AP Foto/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Ver la gasolina a más de 4 dólares el galón -cuando hace un mes estaba por debajo de los 3 dólares- podría empujar a los conductores estadounidenses a cambiar sus hábitos de gasto.
Los hogares de ingresos medios y bajos son los que más están notando el apuro. El impacto desproporcionado está haciendo que la economía estadounidense sea aún más asimétrica y dependiente del gasto de los consumidores de ingresos altos, dijo Moody’s en una actualización el martes.
La incertidumbre sobre cuánto durará la guerra y cuán graves podrían ser los daños a la infraestructura energética de la región está inquietando a gobiernos, empresas y consumidores. Algunos funcionarios han tomado medidas para reducir el consumo, como pedir al público y a los funcionarios que utilicen la bicicleta en lugar del coche, que suban por las escaleras en lugar de utilizar el ascensor y que trabajen cuatro días en lugar de cinco.
Hay algunos ganadores en medio del trastorno económico. Los países exportadores de petróleo que pueden suministrar su producto -incluidos Irán y Rusia- están cosechando ganancias inesperadas por la subida de los precios. Ahora que Estados Unidos ha levantado algunas sanciones contra estas dos naciones, ambas pueden utilizar la infusión de fondos para financiar sus esfuerzos bélicos.
The New York Times, data-cc, data-cc-nyt
INTERNACIONAL
ICE pressures Spanberger as Fairfax murder suspects trigger new detainers in ‘sanctuary’ clash
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Virginia Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger and local authorities in deep blue Northern Virginia are facing mounting hold requests from ICE after two more illegal immigrants were arrested for murder in Fairfax County this week.
This week, ICE lodged two detainers — requests to hold — for illegal immigrants charged with murder in Fairfax County. One detainer was lodged against 28-year-old Guatemalan national Misael Lopez Gomez, who is charged with second-degree murder and felony child abuse after allegedly beating his 3-month-old daughter to death. The agency lodged another detainer for a Guatemalan national, Anibal Armando Chavarria Muy, following his arrest by local authorities for second-degree murder in a machete stabbing.
The Department of Homeland Security has personally appealed to Spanberger and «Fairfax County sanctuary politicians» to not release Chavarria Muy.
These cases are the latest in a string of high-profile crimes involving illegal immigrants in Northern Virginia that have rocked the community.
ILLEGAL ALIEN ALLEGED GROPING OF MINOR GIRLS AT HIGH SCHOOL BEING INVESTIGATED BY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
Gov. Abigail Spanberger is facing criticism for rejecting a warrantless ICE detainer on a criminal illegal immigrant charged with murder, and days later, Virginia Democrats are continuing to push anti-ICE cooperation laws.
This comes after one of Spanberger’s first actions as governor was to issue an executive order barring state and local authorities from cooperating with federal authorities for immigration enforcement.
Here are some of the latest high-profile cases that have outraged Northern Virginia residents:
Misael Lopez Gomez – Infant murder
Two ICE sources told Fox News that Misael Lopez Gomez, who was recently arrested for allegedly beating his 3-month-old daughter to death in Fairfax County, is a Guatemalan illegal alien. The sources said Lopez Gomez is believed to have entered the U.S. as a got-away during the Biden administration in July 2023.
Fox News has learned ICE placed a detainer request on Lopez Gomez with Fairfax County law enforcement. According to local outlet WUSA9, the infant died from blunt-force trauma. The outlet reported Tuesday that Lopez Gomez is currently jailed without bond and is facing second-degree murder and felony child abuse charges.
Anibal Armando Chavarria Muy – Machete Stabbing
On Tuesday, ICE lodged a detainer request for Fairfax County to not release Chavarria Muy following his arrest in connection with a fatal stabbing on Sunday. DHS said that the killing was carried out using a machete.
WUSA9 reported that officers responding to a call in Bailey’s Crossroads, Virginia, found a man inside a home with multiple stab wounds. The victim was later pronounced dead at a local hospital, according to the outlet.
Chavarria Muy was later arrested for the stabbing and charged with second-degree murder. According to DHS, he is in the U.S. illegally and entered at an unknown place and time.
Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis called the case «another preventable tragedy» caused by open borders policies.
FORMER VIRGINIA GOVERNOR CHALLENGES SPANBERGER TO DEBATE HER REDISTRICTING FLIP-FLOP
Left to right: Misael Lopez Gomez, Anibal Armando Chavarria Muy, Israel Flores Ortiz and Abdul Jalloh. (Fox News; DHS; Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office; DHS; Steve Helber/AP Photo)
Israel Flores Ortiz – Minor groping
Fairfax County has also been rocked by a case involving 18-year-old Salvadoran illegal alien Israel Flores Ortiz, who is accused of sexually assaulting a dozen girls at a local high school he was attending.
ICE has also lodged a detainer for Flores Ortiz following his arrest for allegedly groping a dozen female high school students at a Fairfax County high school he attended. Like Chavarria Muy, DHS has asked Spanberger to intervene to prevent local authorities from releasing Flores Ortiz back into the public.
Flores Ortiz is facing 13 counts of assault and battery. He is currently being held at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center without bond.
According to DHS, Flores Ortiz is an illegal immigrant from El Salvador who was released into the U.S. under the Biden administration in 2024. His case has elicited disgust, outrage and fear from Fairfax County parents about the safety of schools in the area.
Abdul Jalloh – Neck stabbing
In late February, ICE lodged a detainer for another illegal alien, Sierra Leone national Abdul Jalloh, charged with murder in connection with the fatal neck stabbing of a woman at a bus stop.
The victim, Stephanie Minter, 41, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, was found dead at a local bus stop on Feb. 23 with multiple stab wounds to the upper body.
DHS said that Jalloh entered the U.S. illegally in 2012. He has an extensive criminal history that includes more than 30 arrests for charges of rape, malicious wounding, assault, drug possession, identity theft, trespassing, larceny, firing a weapon, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and pick-pocketing.
ILLEGAL ALIEN MURDER SUSPECT AVOIDED SYSTEM AS ICE PUSHES DEM GOVERNOR TO KEEP HIM LOCKED UP
Fairfax County Public Schools bus is seen outside of Lutie Lewis Coates Elementary School in Herndon, Virginia, Thursday, May 11, 2023. (Salwan Georges/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Commenting on the most recent detainer being lodged for Chavarria Muy, DHS lamented «yet another life lost in a sanctuary county at the hands of a criminal alien who should have never been here in the first place.»
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
The agency decried Fairfax County’s policies, saying it «has a history of refusing to honor immigration detainers.» DHS asked, «When will sanctuary politicians wake up and begin putting American lives FIRST?»
The White House’s rapid response social media account also chimed in, commenting, «Meanwhile, Democrats continue to block funding for [DHS], demanding changes to make ICE less effective in finding and arresting these criminals. Insane.»
Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger’s office and Fairfax County officials for comment.
sanctuary cities, illegal immigrants, abigail spanberger, virginia, migrant crime, enforcement, homeland security
TheGrefg y Plex han entrenado juntos para La Velada del Año 6 y la reacción de IlloJuan no se ha hecho esperar: "No os fieis"
El Senado tratará la próxima semana la designación de Lucila Crexell como embajadora y ascensos militares
Se volvió viral por gritar un gol de Irak pensando que era de Bolivia y las redes no lo perdonaron: su llamativa respuesta
Carolina Baldini confirmó su separación de Pablo Pereyra: “Hace una semana”
La fortuna de Ariel Vallejo, retratada en una frase: “Mamá, me olvidé de contarte, me compré una Ferrari”
Fabricante de Terrabusi, Milka y Oreo cerró acuerdo inédito: garantiza puestos y súper bono
Máximo Kirchner salió al cruce de Milei y Macri tras el fallo por YPF a favor de la Argentina
El Gobierno cambia su propuesta de reforma: endurece penas para delitos comunes, pero no para los casos de corrupción
Nuevas críticas de Marcela Pagano contra los Milei: “Karina es la que gobierna”, aseguró
Dos jubiladas que le habrían prestado dinero a Manuel Adorni negaron conocerlo
POLITICA2 días agoDos jubiladas que le habrían prestado dinero a Manuel Adorni negaron conocerlo
- POLITICA2 días ago
Quiénes son las dos acreedoras del préstamo con el que Adorni compró su departamento en Caballito
- ECONOMIA2 días ago
Uno por uno: qué dicen los principales artículos de la Reforma Laboral que suspendió la Justicia por pedido de la CGT
