As the dust settles on the midterm elections, a tight race for control of the US House of Representatives remains unresolved, Bloomberg reports.
While Republicans are increasingly confident in holding onto their majority, Democrats are clinging to hope for a last-minute surge to secure a narrow victory.
The GOP, needing a net gain of just four seats, has seen wins in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and North Carolina offset losses in New York, putting them ahead in the contest. House Speaker Mike Johnson celebrated the potential victory, declaring Republicans poised to keep their grip on the chamber.
However, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries maintained his party’s ability to eke out a narrow majority by flipping seats in California, Arizona, and other key battlegrounds.
The outcome hinges on several close races, with most of the 22 toss-up districts still undecided by Wednesday afternoon. Counting is ongoing in other competitive districts, and the notoriously slow-counting state of California could take days to finalize results.
A Democratic victory would significantly impact the political landscape. It would force Republicans to negotiate on trillions of dollars worth of provisions in the 2017 tax law that are set to expire at the end of next year. It would also provide a check on President Trump’s “America First” foreign policy agenda, potentially offering hope for continued support for Ukraine and other allies. Additionally, a Democratic-controlled House could investigate and potentially impeach Trump for the third time, although conviction in the Senate remains unlikely.
Meanwhile, Republicans solidified their control of the Senate, securing at least 52 seats with several races still undecided. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell declared the election “a helluva good day” and signaled he could be a speed bump for Trump and his isolationist allies.
