A record number of Republicans are leaving the House

The number of Republicans leaving the U.S. House of Representatives after this term has reached a historic high. (Aaron Schwartz/AFP/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)

The number of Republicans leaving the U.S. House of Representatives after this term has reached a historic high, deepening concern in the conference over the chamber’s already razor-thin margins.

Thirty-five House Republicans are now retiring or running for higher office. That’s the most since at least 1930, according to data from the Brookings Institution, and surpasses the previous record from 2018, a midterm cycle when Republicans lost a whopping 40 House seats. (Members who lost renomination, like Texas Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw, are not included in these numbers.)

Oklahoma Republican Rep. Kevin Hern became the 35th member of the GOP conference to announce his departure Wednesday, saying he would run for the US Senate.

Hern is hoping to fill Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s seat for a full term, should he be confirmed as homeland security secretary. A former businessman, Hern was first elected to the House in 2018 and is the first to jump into the race since Mullin was nominated.

“The American dream is under threat by the radical left and RINO Republicans who oppose President Trump’s America First agenda and want to turn the United States into a third world country,” Hern said in his announcement video.

“That’s why I’m running for U.S. Senate: to ensure President Trump has a loyal ally.”

House Republicans headed toward the exits had already made history this cycle.

There are 10 House Republicans running for governor this cycle, the most who have run from either party in the available data compiled by CNN dating back to 1974.

Hern’s announcement comes as Speaker Mike Johnson already needs near-unanimous support of his party to advance legislation, adding to what increasingly looks like a tough midterm environment for Republicans.

In total, 56 House members from both parties are retiring or running for other offices, still short of the overall record of 65 set in 1992. Sixteen of those members, including Hern, are running for Senate.

By Molly English, CNN