Tennessee GOP Rep. Mark Green has announced his resignation effective July 20, Straight Arrow News reported. The House Homeland Security Committee chairman's exit further imperils Republicans' edge in the House of Representatives.
Green announced his resignation in a video posted to X, formerly Twitter, on July 4. "It's with a heavy heart that I say farewell," he captioned the video.
"To my constituents across Tennessee’s 7th District—thank you. The trust you put in me is humbling. I will look back fondly on my years of serving as your voice in Washington," Green wrote.
It's with a heavy heart that I say farewell.
To my constituents across Tennessee’s 7th District—thank you. The trust you put in me is humbling. I will look back fondly on my years of serving as your voice in Washington. pic.twitter.com/fwjVMCRtpQ
— Rep. Mark Green (@RepMarkGreen) July 4, 2025
Green's announcement throws the GOP's majority in jeopardy and creates an uncertain future for lawmakers. The balance is currently at 219-212, including four vacant seats, favoring Republicans.
The governor of Tennessee will have 10 days to call a special election under the state's law, so Green's seat won't be vacant for long. However, this comes on the heels of a particularly close vote to pass President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, where every vote counted.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) wheeled and dealed to cobble together support for the legislation. It passed narrowly, 218 to 214, after two Republicans defected to vote with the Democrats, who unanimously opposed the bill.
To make matters worse, Nebraska Republican Rep. Don Bacon had already announced on June 30 that he wouldn't be seeking reelection. His seat is located in District 2, a swing district that includes Omaha, which could spell trouble in the near future.
It's known as the "Blue Dot" in the red state, as it often votes Democratic in presidential elections. Although it went for Trump in 2016, the district voted for Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Kamala Harris in the 2008, 2020, and 2024 elections, respectively, suggesting that it could be flipped.
According to the New York Post, Green is being cagey about his next step. "While I cannot give the details here, I will be doing something specifically designed to help America compete against the CCP [Chinese Communist Party], but this time in business," Green said in his video announcement.
Aside from the complications his exit has created, Green already had his own issues. In September, the retired U.S. Army officer's wife filed for divorce after publicly accusing him of having an affair with a woman at Axios.
Initially, Green announced he would not seek another term at the end of 2024. However, his wife would later walk back that claim, and Green would change his mind and decide to run again after all.
"I want to correct the record because I misidentified someone in that message. My husband has never had a relationship with a reporter from Axios, and I regret having said that," Green's wife claimed. Regardless, the damage was done.
Politicians have their share of problems, no matter what side of the aisle they're on. However, when the numbers are this close, any misstep can create a big problem for the party in power, and Green has inched Republicans that much closer to a precarious situation.
