Who is Rep. Neal Dunn?

Rep. Neal Dunn is a 72-year-old Republican U.S. Representative for Florida's 2nd Congressional District since 2017, a former surgeon who founded the Advanced Urology Institute and served in the U.S. Army.

Why is Rep. Dunn's potential resignation significant for the GOP?

His resignation by July would reduce the Republican House majority to 217-214, leaving Speaker Mike Johnson's margin at just one seat.

What has Speaker Mike Johnson said about Dunn's resignation?

Speaker Johnson told reporters he asked Dunn to serve out his term and encouraged him to stay.

What is the process for filling the vacancy if Dunn resigns?

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis would schedule a special primary about 120-130 days after the vacancy and a general election roughly 70-80 days later.

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12d ago

Rumors Mount That Rep. Neal Dunn May Resign, Threatening GOP House Margin

Reports Feb. 11 say House leaders expect Rep. Neal Dunn to resign by July, which would cut the GOP majority to 217-214.

Overview

A summary of the key points of this story verified across multiple sources.

Punchbowl News founder Jake Sherman reported Feb. 11 that House Republican leadership believes Rep. Neal Dunn will resign by July.

An early resignation would shrink the Republican working majority to 217 Republicans and 214 Democrats, narrowing Speaker Mike Johnson's margin to one seat, according to Punchbowl News and Fox News Digital reporting.

Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters Feb. 11 he asked Dunn to serve out his term and 'encouraged him to stay,' while Dunn declined to address the reports that day, saying 'no comment,' according to CNN and Politico.

Dunn, 72, announced Jan. 13 that he would not seek reelection after representing Florida's 2nd Congressional District since 2016, and at least four Republican and three Democratic candidates are reported to be running to succeed him, according to the USA TODAY Network-Florida Capital Bureau.

Florida law requires Gov. Ron DeSantis to schedule a special primary and special election to fill a vacant House seat, and local reporting notes special primaries typically occur about 120-130 days after a vacancy with a general election roughly 70-80 days later.

Written using shared reports from

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Analysis

Compare how each side frames the story — including which facts they emphasize or leave out.

Center-leaning sources frame the story as a looming threat to GOP control by emphasizing the razor-thin 217–214 majority and a historical 1930 comparison. Editorially, they use loaded phrasing ("big mystery," "swatted down") and prioritize leadership reactions (Jake Sherman, Speaker Johnson) while reporting source content (Dunn's denial, CNN health reports) to stress instability.

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: Rep. Neal Dunn is a 72-year-old Republican U.S. Representative for Florida's 2nd Congressional District since 2017, a former surgeon who founded the Advanced Urology Institute and served in the U.S. Army.
Sources:
Neal Dunn - Wikipedia
: His resignation by July would reduce the Republican House majority to 217-214, leaving Speaker Mike Johnson's margin at just one seat.
Sources:
Punchbowl News
: Speaker Johnson told reporters he asked Dunn to serve out his term and encouraged him to stay.
Sources:
CNN
: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis would schedule a special primary about 120-130 days after the vacancy and a general election roughly 70-80 days later.
Sources:
USA TODAY Network-Florida Capital Bureau
: At least four Republican and three Democratic candidates are reported to be running for the seat.
Sources:
USA TODAY Network-Florida Capital Bureau