(SeaPRwire) –   The resignation of two House members on Tuesday has increased the number of vacancies in the narrowly divided chamber as the midterm elections approach. While a special election has been promptly scheduled to fill one of these positions this summer, the status of the other remains uncertain.

California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation on Tuesday afternoon, setting an August 18 special election to replace Representative Eric Swalwell.

Swalwell announced his resignation in a post on X on Monday, following a series of sexual misconduct allegations. While he continues to deny these claims, he stated that it would be “wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties.”

A day prior, he withdrew from the California gubernatorial race, disrupting a highly competitive contest in which he had previously been viewed as the Democratic frontrunner.

Approximately an hour after Swalwell’s announcement, Texas Republican Representative Tony Gonzales stated on X that he would be stepping down from his position.

Gonzales has faced accusations of coercing a staff member into a sexual relationship. Although he initially denied any such involvement with the staffer—who died by suicide in September—he admitted to the affair last month. Shortly thereafter, he announced the end of his reelection campaign, though he initially intended to finish his term. The San Antonio Express-News reported last week that another former staffer alleged Gonzales sent her sexually explicit text messages in 2020.

Both Swalwell and Gonzales had been under increasing pressure to resign prior to their announcements, and both were the subjects of investigations by the House Ethics Committee.

The timeline for filling Gonzales’ seat remains unclear.

While governors typically call special elections to fill House vacancies occurring before a term concludes, Texas Governor Greg Abbott is not legally obligated to do so with the November election less than seven months away, and his intentions remain unknown.

Under Texas law, the Governor is generally required to schedule a special election for the “first uniform election date” that occurs at least 36 days after the order. Because the final date before the midterms is now less than 36 days away, Gonzales’ seat would likely remain vacant until November, unless Abbott chooses to call an emergency special election. Such an action has precedent; Abbott did so in 2018 following the April 6 resignation of Republican Representative Blake Farenthold.

The office of Governor Abbott did not immediately provide a comment.

The Governor’s decision may be influenced by the current composition of the House. Republicans maintain a slim majority; with the departures of Democrat Swalwell and Republican Gonzales, the President’s party holds 216 seats, while Democrats hold 213. There are three additional vacancies, and one seat is held by Independent Representative Kevin Kiley of California, who left the GOP last month but continues to caucus with them. One vacancy, created by the January resignation of former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, is being filled by Republican Clay Fuller, who won a special runoff last week and is expected to be sworn in on Tuesday, bringing the party’s total to 217. Special elections are scheduled for the remaining vacancies in April and August.

Although the dual departures of Swalwell and Gonzales balance each other out regarding the partisan split, any delay in filling one of the seats could temporarily affect the chamber’s balance.

Democrats have performed strongly in special elections over the past year, winning several races by wide margins and exceeding their 2024 benchmarks in contests they ultimately lost. The general election will be critical for both parties, as Republican majorities in the House and Senate face potential risks. Democrats are cautiously optimistic about their prospects for gaining seats, particularly in the House, which they aim to flip, especially given the historical trend of the President’s party losing seats during midterms.

However, both the Swalwell and Gonzales seats are expected to remain with their respective parties. The Cook Political Report classifies Swalwell’s seat as “solid” for Democrats—among the safest in the midterms—and rates Gonzales’ seat as “likely” for Republicans, one tier below “solid.”