The Democratic Party will take control of the United States House of Representatives, CNN projected on election night during the midterm elections. This means Republicans will lose the narrow majority they held in the lower chamber of Congress.
Control of the House requires 218 of the 435 total seats. Democrats needed to win just a few Republican-held districts to change the balance of power. CNN made the projection based on results in individual competitive districts, but it is not equivalent to a final official count of all votes.
Final results may be delayed
The Associated Press warned that determining control of the House in full could take time because of close results in a number of districts and the need to count mail-in ballots. In previous midterm elections, news organizations also announced control of Congress in stages, after the margins in key races became sufficiently decisive.
The Democrats’ victory in the House will have a direct impact on President Donald Trump’s administration. The party will lead the standing and investigative committees, set the lower chamber’s agenda and have greater ability to demand documents and testimony from administration officials.
Jeffries is the favorite for speaker
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries is the leading candidate for speaker of the chamber if the party officially wins the majority. He would be the first Black speaker in the House’s history.
During the election campaign, Jeffries said Democrats were “on the verge of taking back control” of the House. He focused on the cost of living and promised increased scrutiny of the Trump administration’s actions.
The new Congress is due to begin its term on January 3, 2027. By then, the results in individual districts will have to be officially certified, while Democrats and Republicans will begin negotiations over leadership positions and committee memberships.
Former North Carolina governor Roy Cooper wins
The most significant breakthrough of the evening was former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper’s victory, as he flipped the Senate seat and defeated Republican Michael Whatley. This is the first Senate seat Democrats have taken from Republicans in these elections.
Democrats also retained their Senate seats in Georgia and New Hampshire. Jon Ossoff was reelected in Georgia, where he defeated Republican Mike Collins. In New Hampshire, Chris Pappas defeated John Sununu, preventing Republicans from winning a seat in the state. “The result may not be what we wanted tonight, but everything is okay. I will continue to serve,” Collins said after conceding defeat.
Republicans hold Florida and West Virginia
Republican Ashley Moody won the special Senate election in Florida against Democrat Angie Nixon. Moody is taking the seat vacated after Marco Rubio became U.S. secretary of state. “Florida chose freedom,” Moody said in her victory speech. Shelley Moore Capito was also reelected in West Virginia, becoming the first Republican woman from the state to win three consecutive Senate terms in more than a century.
Democrats also won the Senate election in South Carolina through Annie Andrews. The race was closely watched because Republicans were seeking to retain the seat vacated after the death of Lindsey Graham. The result further complicates the calculations for a Republican majority.
Control of the Senate and the House of Representatives remains undecided. In the Senate, the races in Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Ohio and Texas are the most important for the final outcome. Some of these results may be delayed because of vote-counting rules and ranked-choice voting.
Sources: apnews.com, cbsnews.com, prod.transcripts.cnn.com