On Saturday evening, November 9th, the Republican Party is edging closer to securing control of the U.S. House of Representatives, which would be a critical factor in advancing the agenda once President Donald Trump returns to the White House in January next year.
According to Reuters, the Edison Research firm reported that as the vote count from the November 5th election is still ongoing, the Republicans have secured 213 out of the 435 seats in the House of Representatives. The firm predicted on Saturday evening that Congressman Dan Newhouse’s votes are enough to maintain Republican control over Colorado’s 3rd congressional district.
Currently, the Republicans have already taken control of the Senate from the Democrats. However, the Edison Research firm had predicted on Friday that Democratic U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen would secure reelection in Nevada.
The Republican Party needs to secure five more seats to maintain control of the House of Representatives.
Edison Research reported that Democrats have won 205 House seats so far, including predicting the reelection of Arizona Congressman Greg Stanton on Saturday. Democrats need to win 13 out of the remaining 17 seats to gain control.
With Trump’s victory in the presidential election and the Republicans securing control of the Senate, controlling the House of Representatives would give the Republican Party extensive power, potentially passing broad agendas such as tax cuts, spending reductions, relaxation of energy regulations, and border security control.
Most of the remaining 17 House races are in highly contested districts in Western states, where the vote counting process typically takes longer compared to other parts of the U.S.
Out of the 17 undecided House seats, Republicans hold 9 while Democrats hold 8. Before the election, it was widely believed that 14 seats were highly competitive.
Furthermore, Republican senators will decide next week who will be the Senate Majority Leader in 2025, with John Thune, John Cornyn, and Rick Scott vying for the position.
On Saturday, Senators Bill Hagerty and Rand Paul expressed their support for Scott rather than the more senior Thune and Cornyn. Senator Josh Hawley, on the other hand, supports Cornyn for the Majority Leader position.
Cornyn mentioned later on Saturday that if he wins, he will push the Senate to full throttle until Trump’s cabinet picks are confirmed.