House Republican Resigns, Delivers Big Blow to Speaker

Mark Green, the Republican Representative who has represented Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District since 2019, announced his resignation from Congress recently, thus shrinking the GOP’s already shrinking majority in the House. Although his departure had been expected for weeks, Knewz.com has learned that Green’s resignation lowered the Republican majority to a razor-thin 219-212.

House Republican Turns in His Resignation

According to reports, Rep. Green’s resignation took effect on July 20. In his letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, published on X by a Fox News correspondent, Green wrote, “Thank you for your steadfast leadership to advance the conservative principles we both hold dear. I appreciate your friendship over the years and look forward to seeing what incredible feats the House of Representatives will accomplish for the American people.” Rep. Green himself shared a video statement on social media announcing his resignation, saying, “To my constituents across Tennessee’s 7th District—thank you. The trust you put in me is humbling. I will look back fondly on my years of serving as your voice in Washington.”

Turning to the Private Sector

In a lengthy statement of farewell shared by the House Republican, Green said he was offered a private sector opportunity that was “too exciting to pass up.” He said in his statement, “Recently, I was offered an opportunity in the private sector that was too exciting to pass up. As a result, today I notified the Speaker and the House of Representatives that I will resign from Congress as soon as the House votes once again on the reconciliation package.” It is worth noting that this move came more than a year after Green announced he would not run again in 2024. (He changed his mind when fellow Republicans asked him to stick around.) “While I cannot give the details here, I will be doing something specifically designed to help America compete against the CCP [Chinese Communist Party], but this time in business,” Green said of his upcoming venture.

His Departure Came at A Crucial Time

Although Rep. Green had already indicated in June that he would step away from his role, the timing of his exit has taken added significance. Green chaired the influential House Homeland Security Committee and was seen as a steady conservative voice within the Republican ranks. His decision comes as House Speaker Johnson struggles to build consensus around President Donald Trump’s expansive flagship spending bill, the “One Big, Beautiful Bill.” According to reports, Green voted for Trump’s sweeping legislation when it passed the House by a single vote.

Part of a Broader Turnover trend

Although Green’s retirement was anticipated as he announced his intention to step down in June, it follows a wave of recent departures from Congress. Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) recently left his seat to take a role in the Trump administration, only to step down from that position soon after. Meanwhile, centrist Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) also announced his retirement, creating a potential opportunity for Democrats to flip his highly contested Omaha-based district. Public reaction to Rep. Green’s departure has been significantly negative, as users on X have accused the House Republican of voting “for a bill that will destroy the country” and then turning in his resignation. Other comments mirror the sentiment, as one user wrote, “You just voted yes on this abysmal excuse for a bill and now tapping out? Vile, cowardly scum.”

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