All four of the confirmed and potential vacancies will likely be filled by Republicans.
Topline
President-elect Donald Trump has named several Republican lawmakers to his administration, complicating the GOP’s slim majority in the Senate and potentially the House as the temporary vacancies could hamstring the party’s agenda.Key Facts
Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., was appointed national security adviser, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., was named United Nations ambassador, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is expected to be named Secretary of State, and Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, was elected as Trump’s vice president.
Other GOP lawmakers are on the speculative shortlists for additional positions, including Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, for attorney general, and Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., for treasury secretary.
The Senate seats are likely safely in GOP hands, for now, as the Republican governors of Florida, Ron DeSantis, and Ohio, Mike DeWine, will be tasked with appointing replacements for Vance and Rubio (if he’s appointed) until 2026, when special elections would be held to fill the remainder of their terms through 2028.
The process for filling vacancies in the House requires special elections in most states and could leave the seats open for weeks or months, complicating the GOP’s expected single-seat majority in the lower chamber.
