Texas Republican Representative Wesley Hunt nearly handed Democrats a major victory this week to restrict President Trump’s executive authority, returning to Washington just 20 minutes late to cast a deciding vote. The story gained traction when reported by Fox News.
Hunt’s absence caused him to miss two key votes earlier in the day, but his late arrival proved decisive on a bipartisan resolution related to Venezuela. The measure failed by a one-vote margin and would have directed President Trump to withdraw U.S. military forces from Venezuela, despite the administration maintaining that no U.S. troops are currently deployed there.
The incident highlighted the fragile margins Republicans are working with in the House. Following a recent death and resignation, GOP leadership can afford to lose only two votes on any measure without relying on Democratic support, placing added pressure on attendance during closely contested votes.
A slim majority leaves little room for error
Speaker Mike Johnson expressed frustration with the situation, telling reporters that Hunt’s decision to prioritize campaigning did not make his job any easier. The stakes were especially high because Hunt had also missed an earlier procedural vote needed to advance spending legislation aimed at avoiding a government shutdown, which passed by a single vote before he arrived for the Venezuela resolution.
Hunt’s voting record has drawn scrutiny beyond this week’s events. In 2025, he missed 87 votes, accounting for 25.1% of all measures considered that year, including a vote condemning antisemitism in June and the passage of an anti-deepfake pornography bill in April. He also missed key procedural votes tied to advancing President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act in May, with his longest stretch of absences coming in September 2025, when he missed 22 votes over two days during debate on a water and energy spending bill.
Hunt’s office defended his record, arguing that no legislation or GOP priorities have been delayed due to his Senate campaign against Texas Senator John Cornyn. His team said House leadership initially indicated his presence would not be required that week, adding that Speaker Johnson personally contacted him on Thursday afternoon when the vote outlook changed, prompting his immediate return.
Questions about optics persisted after the vote. When asked whether he was adequately representing his constituents, Hunt declined to answer directly, instead saying he returned to ensure staff could leave Washington ahead of an approaching snowstorm before departing the chamber shortly after voting.
Senator Cornyn criticized Hunt’s actions, saying the congressman nearly handed Democrats a public relations win and created chaos on the House floor. The dispute also reflects a broader Republican divide over executive authority, with South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham previously describing the War Powers Act as a congressional power grab against the commander in chief.
The episode comes as President Trump continues to dominate headlines across multiple fronts, from his public clash with California Governor Gavin Newsom following events at Davos to new scrutiny surrounding his administration’s internal discussions on Gaza’s future.
Published: Jan 23, 2026 05:30 pm