A Republican Congressman who may have a terminal diagnosis has been asked to hold onto his congressional seat to help the GOP cling to control on Capitol Hill.
Congressman Neal Dunn of Florida may have a terminal illness, Speaker Mike Johnson told a group of GOP donors at a retreat in Florida on Friday, Punchbowl News first reported.
Dunn, 73, has said he won’t run for reelection.
He also has ruled out resigning before his term ends in early 2027.
‘I have no comment on personal issues such as Dr. Dunn’s health. He has been working as usual,’ A spokesperson for Dunn told the Daily Mail.
‘As a dedicated public servant, he will remain in Congress to represent his constituents through the end of this term,’ the spokesperson said earlier this week.
But the announcement from Johnson that Dunn has a terminal illness underscores just how far the GOP is willing to go to maintain control of the House.
With the current 218 – 214 split, losing just two seats could mean forfeiting the GOP majority and deadlocking on party-line votes. Democrats could tie up the Republican agenda for the remainder of the year if Dunn retires early and if liberals get an unexpected special election win this year.
Congressman Neal Dunn (L) may have a terminal diagnosis, Speaker Mike Johnson reportedly told GOP donors on Friday
Dunn’s potential early retirement could throw a wrench in Speaker Mike Johnson’s control over the House of Representatives and tie up legislation pushed by President Donald Trump. Dunn says he won’t retire early
Dunn seemingly will be spending his time with his colleagues on Capitol Hill, defending the Republican majority from falling to Democrats, despite the potential diagnosis.
However, a special election for ex-Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene’s former seat, set for March, should add another Republican to the House, given how conservative the district is. (A likely runoff could delay the newest member’s swearing in until April.)
Johnson is already facing difficulties passing any legislation without getting the entire GOP conference on board with his priorities.
This has led to some of the longest votes in US history, forcing Johnson to keep votes open for hours until he gets everyone to back his agenda.
Dunn’s health has been in question for some time.
This month, he has been spotted wearing a face mask on Capitol Hill, setting off speculation about his health.
‘Don’t I look good?’ Dunn told reporters when asked about his health.
Governor Ron DeSantis’s wife, Casey DeSantis, may be keen on running in Dunn’s district, Florida Politics reported.
