Republicans have secured a majority in the U.S. Senate, yet the status of the House of Representatives remains unresolved as of Wednesday evening, with numerous critical races yet to be decided.
With Donald Trump having secured the presidency, the House control stakes have escalated. A Democratic majority could counterbalance the Trump administration, while a Republican hold would unify the government under his influence.
By Wednesday night, Republicans led 205-190, based on Associated Press results, with confirmed Democratic wins in New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Texas, and Republican victories in Michigan, Wisconsin, and California.
Republicans in North Carolina won three seats previously held by Democrats, while Democrats flipped districts in Alabama and New York.
Final results could take days, as it took over a week in 2022 to finalize the House’s control. All 435 seats were contested, with Republicans aiming to broaden their slim majority after two turbulent years in power.
Current House Speaker Mike Johnson secured re-election to a fifth term and announced he would seek re-election as Speaker. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise will also seek re-election.
Loyal Trump supporter Elise Stefanik, the highest-ranking woman in the Republican caucus, won a sixth term in New York.
Control of the House remains a toss-up, with Democrats needing only five additional seats to regain a majority. Johnson expressed confidence that Republicans would retain control, enabling a “unified government.”
In his letter, Johnson stated, “The mandate shows that most Americans desire secure borders, lower costs, and a return to common sense.”
Scalise outlined Trump administration goals for the first 100 days, including border security and resuming LNG exports. “Trump can put our economy back on track by slashing some regulations and improving the administrative state’s efficiency,” he wrote in another letter.
House Republicans plan to lock in tax cuts, ramp up American energy production, repeal certain Democrat-introduced policies from the Inflation Reduction Act, and add resources to secure the southern border, including constructing the “Trump Border Wall.”
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries argued that the “House remains in play.” He identified Arizona, Oregon, Iowa, and California as key to Democratic success. “The party controlling the House in January 2025 has not yet been determined,” he emphasized, urging every vote to be counted.
In a historic first, Delaware voters elected Sarah McBride, 34, the first openly transgender person to Congress, representing the Democratic Party.
Redistricting led to both parties gaining seats, with Alabama Democrat Shomari Figures winning a restructured district for Black representation, while Republicans in North Carolina flipped three districts redrawn by a GOP-led legislature.
Democrats also won two New York seats, as attorney Josh Riley defeated incumbent Republican Marc Molinaro, and state Senator John Mannion won against Republican Brandon Williams.
California remains a battleground with ten closely contested House races. Democrats must capture at least one Republican seat to reach a majority, according to the AP.
Without House control, President-elect Trump may encounter obstacles in pushing his legislative agenda. Election models suggest both parties could end up with a slim majority, posing risks of gridlock similar to that in the 118th Congress.
The anticipated “red wave” of 2022 fell short, leaving Republicans with just a four-seat majority at the start of 2023. This tight margin enabled a group of far-right Republicans to disrupt the speakership race, forcing Kevin McCarthy to go through 15 rounds of voting before finally securing the role.
Within nine months, McCarthy faced an ouster as Speaker due to a revolt by eight Republicans, which brought the House to a standstill until Johnson, then a lesser-known figure, was chosen to lead.
Ahead of this election, Republicans attempted to justify another term in power despite leading what is seen as one of the least productive Congresses in years. Democrats, in contrast, leveraged the Republicans’ record, portraying it as “dysfunctional.”
Rep. Suzan DelBene, chair of the Democratic campaign arm, told Axios in August that the repeated speaker votes and shutdown threats had frustrated Americans. “These are the things that drive people crazy,” she commented.
The incoming Congress will face the significant responsibility of certifying the presidential election results upon taking office in January. Reflecting on the Capitol attack by Trump supporters in 2020, concerns have resurfaced about potential political violence if results are contested after Election Day.
