House Republicans, emboldened by President-elect Donald Trump’s dominant performance, believe they will hold on to their majority and deliver the party a power trifecta in Washington.
Control of the House requires 218 seats. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to win the House and have so far managed to flip at least two in New York. Republicans have won six seats nationwide, including flips in Pennsylvania’s 7th and 8th districts and Michigan’s open 7th District.
In Pennsylvania’s 7th District, Republican state Rep. Ryan Mackenzie defeated three-term Rep. Susan Wild. In the 8th District, Republican Rob Bresnahan Jr. beat two-term Rep. Matt Cartwright. Both Democrats conceded on Wednesday.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, Louisiana Republican, lauded the flips in Pennsylvania and Michigan and predicted that “when all the votes are tabulated, Republicans will have held our majority, even though we faced a map with 18 Biden-won seats.”
“This historic election has proven that a majority of Americans are eager for secure borders, lower costs, peace through strength, and a return to common sense,” Mr. Johnson said. “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.”
In the Senate, Republicans have flipped at least three Democratic seats and will have a majority of at least 52 seats. Democrats currently hold 44 seats, with four races yet to be called.
Although Republicans have defied predictions that Democrats would flip control of the House, dozens of races across the country have not been decided. Late Wednesday, The Associated Press showed Republicans winning 203 House seats and Democrats winning 189, with 43 seats yet to be called.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, New York Democrat, boasted that Democrats were defying political gravity and touted wins in Virginia, Michigan, Alabama and Louisiana and expected wins in New York.
“The path to take back the majority now runs through too-close-to-call pickup opportunities in Arizona, Oregon and Iowa — along with several Democratic-leaning districts in Southern California and the Central Valley,” Mr. Jeffries said. “The party that will hold the majority in the House of Representatives in January 2025 has yet to be determined. We must count every vote.”
Republicans think Mr. Trump’s landslide victory and their win of the Senate majority have paved the way for retaining power in the House.
Republican victories and successful defenses in competitive races throughout the country have nearly placed Democrats’ quest for control of the House out of reach.
Mr. Trump and other Republicans congratulated Mr. Johnson on his defense of the majority so far. This bodes well for his odds of holding on to the speakership.
Throughout the election cycle, Republicans thought the Trump factor would be the winning edge in their defense of the House.
Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, who chairs the National Republican Congressional Committee, said Wednesday on Fox News: “I think, frankly, we can thank President Trump for an incredible turnout. I think he was a net positive everywhere across the country for Republicans.”
The nonpartisan Cook Political Report also predicted that Mr. Trump’s strong performance could propel House Republicans to defend their majority.
Heading into Election Day, Democrats were similarly bullish on their chances of winning the House. They had the money advantage and a handful of Republican-controlled seats in districts won by President Biden that seemed ripe for the taking.
A Republican operative told The Washington Times that Democrats were out of touch with voters.
“I think we had the message and the issues, and Democrats, they really solely focused on abortion as their only message,” the operative said.
Although Democrats’ odds of winning out are narrowing, a handful of races still in play could give them a slim majority. In California, vulnerable Republicans in districts that Mr. Biden won in 2020 are hanging on, but those races, including competitive showdowns in California’s 13th, 27th and 45th districts, are a ways off from being called.
Democrats are also eying pickup opportunities in Arizona’s 6th District and Oregon’s 5th District, where Democratic candidates are edging out Republican incumbents. Still, those races have not been called.
• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.
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