2nd Mayorkas Impeachment Vote Today Ahead Of NY Special Election Result

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is expected to re-run his vote to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas today after House Majority Leader Steve Scalise’s (R-LA) return to Congress following cancer treatment.

• Scalise’s return brings the GOP majority back to four votes, sufficient to overcome the three Republican defectors (Reps. Ken Buck (R-CO), Tom McClintock (R-CA) and Mike Gallagher (R-WI)) who defeated the vote last week.
• Holding the vote today may be critical as a concurrent New York special election to fill the vacant House seat of expelled former Republican Rep George Santos could shrink the GOP majority again if the Democrat candidate wins.
• However, running the vote again is a risk. Operating on such a fine whip count leaves the party vulnerable to weather, illness, personal emergencies, or other unforeseen circumstances which could render a lawmaker unable to attend the vote. If the vote falls short again, it would be the latest in a string of failures for the speaker which has degraded his power in the chamber and raised questions about his leadership style.
• The fact that Johnson is pressing ahead with the vote, despite the impeachment's certain dismissal in the Senate, illustrates how important House Republicans consider messaging on immigration.