Here's a sentence you don't hear often: $174,000 a year and national influence aren't enough to keep people from quitting. But that's exactly what's happening in Congress right now, where the exodus has become so pronounced that even senior members are sounding alarms about what comes next.

The Departures Keep Piling Up

By late fall, at least 41 representatives had already said they're done seeking reelection. That's notable on its own, but then came Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's bombshell resignation announcement, and suddenly the trickle started looking like it might become a flood.

Greene, who was once firmly in President Donald Trump's inner circle, said she'll be leaving office next month. The split wasn't quiet. Her decision followed very public disagreements with Trump over health care, foreign policy, and her push to release the Epstein files. Trump's response? Calling her a "traitor" on Truth Social.

The fallout from her departure has the Republican conference rattled. A senior GOP member told Punchbowl News that "more explosive early resignations are coming," adding that it's "a tinder box" and that "morale has never been lower." The source went further, predicting that Speaker Mike Johnson would be "stripped of his gavel" and that Republicans would "lose the majority before this term is out."

When the Job Becomes Unbearable

Death threats aren't new in politics, but they've surged to levels that are genuinely affecting whether people want to stay in office. Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) told Axios that security concerns have weighed heavily on members and played a role in resignation decisions. "It takes a toll on people," he said.

Then there's the internal dysfunction. Rather than legislating, much of the House's recent energy has gone toward disciplinary battles, procedural games, and infighting that leaves members feeling like they're accomplishing nothing. Burchett summed it up bluntly: "We don't ever seem to be doing anything." That frustration cuts across both parties.

The White House Problem

For Republicans specifically, tension with the Trump White House has become a major pressure point. Members describe feeling ignored, pressured, or outright threatened when they deviate from the party line on key issues.

GOP lawmakers have pointed to clashes over the Epstein files, tariff policies, and health care proposals as flashpoints that reveal a fraying relationship between House Republicans and the administration. Greene herself complained that Congress had been "sidelined" by Speaker Mike Johnson and the White House. She's not alone. Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-IN) and others have echoed similar concerns about being boxed out of meaningful policymaking.

A Majority Hanging by a Thread

Here's where things get really interesting. Republicans currently hold a 219-213 majority. That's razor-thin. A few well-timed early resignations could trigger special elections that might actually flip control of the House before the 2026 midterms even arrive.

Right now, lawmakers on both sides are watching nervously to see who heads for the exits next. When the job stops being worth it for enough people at once, the political math can change fast.