Republicans are on the cusp of gaining control of the U.S. House of Representatives, a crucial victory that would allow the party to advance its legislative agenda under President-elect Donald Trump. With votes still being counted in key battleground districts, the GOP has secured 212 seats in the 435-member chamber, according to projections from Edison Research. A party needs 218 seats for a majority, putting Republicans just six seats away from reclaiming the House.
The pace of vote counting has been slower in some of the most contested districts, particularly in the western U.S., leaving 19 races still undecided. Among these, 10 seats are currently held by Republicans and nine by Democrats. Both parties are vying for these remaining seats, with the GOP needing to clinch just a few more to secure the majority.
In Washington state, Democratic Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez was re-elected on Saturday, defeating Republican challenger Joe Kent in a rematch of their tight 2022 race. Gluesenkamp Perez won by a margin of just over 2,600 votes. Her campaign focused heavily on her background as an auto shop owner and her commitment to addressing local issues in the largely rural district. Despite the area's Republican leanings and having been carried by Donald Trump in 2020, Gluesenkamp Perez's victory underscores the competitiveness of many key House races.
Meanwhile, Republicans maintained control of Colorado's third congressional district, with incumbent Jeff Hurd projected to retain his seat. This victory bolsters the GOP's chances of capturing the House and enacting their agenda, which includes tax and spending cuts, energy deregulation, and stricter border security measures.
Several key battleground races in the western U.S. remain unresolved. In Alaska's at-large congressional district, Democratic incumbent Mary Sattler Peltola faces a challenging contest against Republican Nick Begich, who leads with 49.49% of the vote. In Arizona's 6th Congressional District, first-term Republican Representative Juan Ciscomani holds a slim lead over former Democratic state lawmaker Kirsten Engel, with only 1,795 votes separating the two candidates.
California's notoriously lengthy vote-counting process has left several races uncalled. Republican John Duarte is leading former Democratic state Assembly member Adam Gray in California's 13th Congressional District. As of Saturday, Duarte held 52% of the vote with 61.7% of ballots counted. Another nail-biter is unfolding in California's 47th Congressional District, where Republican Scott Baugh and Democratic state Senator Dave Min are in a virtual tie, with Min holding a slight edge as 79% of votes have been counted.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., expressed confidence that Republicans would retain control of the chamber, positioning the party to shape key policy decisions in the next Congress. However, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., remained optimistic that Democrats could secure a narrow majority. "It has yet to be decided who will control the House next year," Jeffries wrote on X, signaling the Democratic Party's determination to contest every remaining seat.
In the Senate, Republican dominance has already been solidified, although Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen successfully defended her seat in Nevada, a critical state for the GOP. Rosen campaigned on issues such as middle-class economic relief, reproductive rights, and addressing climate change, resonating with voters in the battleground state.
