House GOP majority officially whittles down to 3 seats after McCarthy resignation

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Kevin McCarthy joins Brian Kilmeade for final interview as member of Congress

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy joins 'One Nation with Brian Kilmeade' for his final interview as a sitting member of Congress.

The House Republican majority is officially whittled down to three as the chamber updated its numbers after former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's retirement.

The House gathered in a pro-forma session on Tuesday, officially updating the number of seats held by members of Congress.

McCarthy's resignation from Congress was effective Dec. 31, 2023, but Tuesday's pro-forma session was the first gavel since the former speaker's resignation went into effect.

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House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-CA, answers questions during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on July 29, 2022 in Washington, D.C. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

With McCarthy's departure, the House is down to 433 members in total.

House Republicans hold 220 seats in the lower chamber while House Democrats currently control 213 seats.

Two vacancies — McCarthy's resignation and the removal of disgraced former New York GOP Rep. George Santos from Congress — have House Republicans walking a political tightrope under the new leadership of Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.

With only a three-seat majority, Johnson can only have three defectors in his party should Democrats vote en-bloc on a measure.

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's resignation and the removal of disgraced former New York GOP Rep. George Santos have House Republicans walking a political tightrope under the new leadership of Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. (Eric Kayne/USA Today Network)

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The House breakdown is likely going to change again soon with New York Democrat Rep. Brian Higgins' resignation in February to take a position at Buffalo, New York's Shea's Performing Arts Center.

This will give House Republicans some breathing room, but potentially only for a little bit.

The special election to replace Santos in Congress will take place on Feb. 13, 2024, in New York's Third Congressional District.

Should the seat flip blue, the GOP majority would once again narrow.

The special election to replace former Rep. George Santos in Congress will take place on Feb. 13. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc)

McCarthy's resignation came after his removal from the speakership by eight Republicans led by Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and every Democrat present in the chamber.

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McCarthy has taken parting shots at Gaetz as he headed for the exit door, recently telling Fox News' Brian Kilmeade that history will not look back fondly on Gaetz's move.

"History will judge him," McCarthy said. "And history will judge all of us."

Fox News Digital's Taylor Penley contributed reporting.