U.S. House Acknowledges 429 Members After Death and Resignation, Shifting Power Balance

The U.S. House of Representatives now has 429 members following the death of Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (D-NJ) and the resignation of Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI). This shift in membership allows Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) to have a two-member loss on party-line votes, changing the balance of power in the House.

Rep. Donald Payne Jr., a Democrat from New Jersey and a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 65 after suffering a heart attack earlier this month that left him hospitalized. Governor Phil Murphy, a fellow Democrat, called Payne a "steadfast champion for the people of New Jersey" in a statement confirming his death.

Payne's passing, along with the resignation of Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI), has resulted in the House acknowledging 429 members. Democrats now hold 212 seats, while Republicans hold 217 seats, giving the Republican Party a two-seat majority on party-line votes instead of the previous one-seat majority.

Funeral arrangements for Rep. Donald Payne Jr. have been announced. He will lie in state in the Essex County Historic Courthouse on Wednesday before his funeral on Thursday at Newark's Cathedral Basilica. Payne will be the third person to lie in state in the Essex County Historic Courthouse, following his father, Congressman Donald M. Payne Sr. in 2012, and Lt. Gov. Sheila Y. Oliver last summer. In lieu of flowers, people are asked to donate to the Donald M. Payne Sr. Global Foundation.

Why this matters:

The district represented by the late Rep. Donald Payne Jr. is expected to remain in Democratic hands, with the party committee members choosing a replacement candidate to run in the November general election. Payne had served in the Newark-area seat for 12 years, replacing his father, who had held the seat for over two decades. Payne was known as a "truly great public servant" who fought for progressive causes like free college tuition, voting rights, and climate change.

Key Takeaways

• U.S. House now has 429 members after deaths/resignations.
• Republicans gain 2-seat majority on party-line votes.
• Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (D-NJ) passed away at 65.
• Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) resigned from House.
• Payne's Democratic seat expected to remain in party's hands.