President-elect Trump has begun endorsing fellow Republicans to replace members of Congress who have vacated their seats to join his Cabinet. The endorsements come as concerns arise about the Republican Party's majority in the House potentially being at risk due to Trump's selections from the lower chamber.
Trump has thrown his support behind two potential candidates from Florida, former GOP state Sen. Randy Fine and current chief financial officer for Florida, Jimmy Patronis Jr., who are considering runs for Congress. Fine is eyeing Florida's 6th Congressional District, currently held by Rep. Michael Waltz, Trump's pick for national security adviser. Patronis is considering running in Florida's 1st District, previously held by former Rep. Matt Gaetz.
While Trump has endorsed replacements for some seats, he has not yet endorsed anyone to replace Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., whose seat in upstate New York may become vacant if she is confirmed as the Trump administration's ambassador to the United Nations.
The House of Representatives is currently projected to have a slim majority of one to three votes for Republicans once the remaining races are called. With 219 seats for Republicans and 213 for Democrats, Republicans must maintain at least 218 seats to retain their majority.
Lawmakers have expressed concerns about potential special elections for the vacant seats, as they could impact Trump's early agenda. House Majority Leader Rep. Steve Scalise and Speaker Mike Johnson have both indicated that they do not expect Trump to appoint more members from the House to his administration.
Transition spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt stated that President-elect Trump is fully committed to working with House leadership to maintain the House GOP majority and begin implementing policies in January.
