Rep. Mark Green announced he is retiring from Congress before the end of his term to pursue private sector work, further tightening Republicans’ already thin majority in the House of Representatives.
“It is with a heavy heart that I announce my retirement from Congress. Recently, I was offered an opportunity in the private sector that was too exciting to pass up. As a result, today I notified the Speaker and the House of Representatives that I will resign from Congress as soon as the House votes once again on the reconciliation package,” Green said in a press release.
The Tennessee Republican currently serves as the chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Last Congress, he led the ultimately successful effort to impeach former Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. In 2024, Green’s estranged wife also publicized an alleged affair he had, saying he had become “intoxicated with power and adoration.” The couple filed for divorce in August, according to reports.
He had previously announced his intention to retire in February 2024, but later ran for reelection in his safe-red Tennessee seat after nudging from Donald Trump.
Green’s departure will leave Speaker Mike Johnson with an even narrower majority to contend with. After Green departs, the House will have 219 Republicans and 212 Democrats. (The Democrats have three vacancies after deaths this term.)
Johnson, with hefty assists from Trump, has mostly been able to corral his members. But some have been willing to put up a fight: Two Republicans voted “no” and one voted “present” on the reconciliation package — dubbed by Trump as the “one big, beautiful bill” — and a number of New York Republicans negotiated extensively to see an increase to the state and local tax deduction cap.
A number of GOP members are heading for the exit, including several who have opted to run for governor instead.
Fellow Tennessee Rep. John Rose is running for the governorship of his home state, Rep. Byron Donalds is running for the role in Florida and Rep. John James is also throwing his hat into the ring in Michigan.
—
Nuha Dolby is a NOTUS reporter and an Allbritton Journalism Institute fellow.