US Representative Mike Waltz of Florida has confirmed that he will resign from the House of Representatives on January 20, the day President-elect Donald Trump takes office, to accept the role of national security adviser in Trump’s second term as reported by the Hill. This move sets the stage for a special election to fill his seat, with the primary scheduled for January 28 and the general election on April 1.
Waltz’s resignation will leave the House Republicans with a reduced majority until the seats are filled.This means the GOP could face a challenging few months, with a one- to three-seat margin until the special elections resolve the vacancies, including the seat previously held by Representative Matt Gaetz, who withdrew from consideration as Trump’s attorney general last week.
Waltz will stay in Congress until Inauguration Day on January 20, ensuring his presence for the important Speaker vote on January 3. Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd confirmed he received Waltz’s resignation letter and set the special election dates to replace him.
Waltz’s new role as national security adviser doesn’t require Senate confirmation, so he can take up the position right away. His resignation follows a similar path to other Republican House members leaving for roles in the Trump administration, with Representative Elise Stefanik named as Trump’s pick for UN Ambassador and Representative Lori Chavez-DeRemer tapped for Labour Secretary.
Following these departures, Trump has been pushing for potential candidates to fill the vacant seats. He recently endorsed Florida chief financial officer Jimmy Patronis and state Senator Randy Fine for Congressional races in Districts 1 and 6.
Furthermore, Trump put his weight behind Florida senator Randy Fine on his social media platform Truth Social saying “I am hearing that America First Patriot Randy Fine is considering launching his Campaign for Congress in Florida’s 6th Congressional District!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Should he decide to enter this Race, Randy Fine has my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, RANDY, RUN!”. Fine responded on X, expressing his honour at the opportunity to support Trump’s agenda.
