Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Mike Johnson promised Republicans that they would retake control of the lower chamber in 2028. During an event with supporters in Louisiana, he said the party would not be stopped by the outcome of a single election cycle.
“Republicans will not be stopped by the outcome of a single election. In fact, we will double down on our efforts, continue advancing our reasonable agenda and our vision to make America great again. And in 2028, we will retake the House and finish what we started,” Johnson said.
His statement came after the midterm elections, which changed the balance of power in Washington. The Democratic Party regained control of the Senate, while James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton in Texas. Talarico will thus become the first Democrat elected as a senator from the state in more than three decades. The last Democrat to win the seat before him was Lloyd Bentsen in 1988.
House outcome remains undecided
Control of the House of Representatives has still not been officially determined. According to The Associated Press, Democrats have won at least seven seats, but 218 representatives are needed for a majority. The agency said it will announce the winner only when one of the two parties reaches that threshold.
Most projections before and at the beginning of election night pointed to a Democratic victory in the House. Decision Desk HQ estimated the likelihood of Democrats taking control at 84 percent and projected around 241 seats for the party, but this remains a projection rather than a final result.
Mike Johnson is expected to retain his own seat from Louisiana, but he will not remain Speaker of the House if Democrats secure a majority. Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader in the lower chamber, has been preparing an agenda for the first 100 days of the new Congress and is considered Johnson’s likely successor.
Texas loss increases pressure on Republicans
Talarico’s victory is particularly significant because Texas is among the most reliably Republican states. Donald Trump and other influential party figures joined Paxton’s campaign, but that was not enough to retain the Senate seat.
The Associated Press described the result as the first Democratic statewide victory in Texas in more than 30 years. The new balance of power in the Senate will limit Trump’s ability to advance his legislative agenda without Democratic support and will give the opposition control over key investigations and congressional oversight.
Sources: apnews.com, washingtonpost.com