While Donald Trump has secured a return to the White House, Republicans are still fighting to confirm control of the House of Representatives.
With their newly gained Senate majority, GOP leaders are optimistic about establishing a full governing trifecta that would grant them legislative momentum for the next two years, The Washington Post reports.
What Happened: Republicans are defending their narrow majority in the House, with several critical districts yet to be called. Both parties are closely watching the remaining 20 uncalled districts, which will determine whether Republicans secure unified control in Washington or if Democrats flip the House, challenging the GOP's agenda, according to CNBC.
Here's the list of the 20 uncalled House races at the time of publication Wednesday, according to NBC News:
- Iowa 1 – GOP: 50.1%, Dem: 49.9% (99% in)
- Pennsylvania 10 – GOP: 50.8%, Dem: 49.2% (99% in)
- Nebraska 2 – GOP: 51.4%, Dem: 48.6% (95% in)
- Ohio 9 – Dem: 48.1%, GOP: 47.8% (94% in)
- New York 4 – Dem: 50.9%, GOP: 49.1% (92% in)
- North Carolina 1 – Dem: 49.4%, GOP: 47.9% (91% in)
- Colorado 3 – GOP: 50.0%, Dem: 46.8% (89% in)
- Montana 1 – GOP: 53.1%, Dem: 43.9% (87% in)
- Maine 2 – Dem: 51.9%, GOP: 48.0% (77% in)
- Virginia 7 – Dem: 51.1%, GOP: 48.9% (76% in)
- Colorado 8 – Dem: 49.5%, GOP: 47.9% (74% in)
- Oregon 5 – Dem: 47.7%, GOP: 45.4% (72% in)
- Alaska 1 – GOP: 49.7%, Dem: 45.3% (71% in)
- Washington 3 – Dem: 52.0%, GOP: 48.0% (70% in)
- California 47 – GOP: 50.6%, Dem: 49.4% (66% in)
- California 45 – GOP: 52.5%, Dem: 47.5% (63% in)
- Arizona 6 – Dem: 49.7%, GOP: 48.2% (59% in)
- California 41 – GOP: 50.5%, Dem: 49.5% (59% in)
- California 22 – GOP: 55.0%, Dem: 45.0% (52% in)
- Washington 4 – GOP: 51.2%, Dem: 48.8% (50% in)
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) expressed early optimism, saying, "As more results come in, it is clear that, as we have predicted all along, Republicans are poised to have unified government in the White House, Senate, and House."
Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said Wednesday that the fight for control of the chamber "remains very much in play," according to The Post.
"In a challenging electoral environment, House Democrats are once again defying political gravity,” Jeffries said, citing the "enduring strength of our battle-tested incumbents" and other promising signs, such as seat pickups in New York.
Why It Matters: Control of the House will directly impact the next Congress’s legislative dynamics, particularly with a Trump administration in office. A Republican-controlled House would support Trump’s agenda with minimal legislative hurdles, while a Democratic win could introduce checks on his administration's policies.
Key upcoming battles in Congress include government funding measures, which expire in December, and debates on tax policies, with Trump's team aiming to make the 2017 tax cuts permanent.
Republicans currently hold 220 seats in the House, while Democrats have 212 seats, along with three vacancies. The tight race underscores the significance of each uncalled district as the GOP and Democratic Party brace for potential recounts and legal challenges.
Read Next:
Photo: Shutterstock
This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Comments
Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.