Republicans Win House, Delivering Trump A Trifecta
With President-elect Donald Trump set to return to the White House in January, Republicans are poised to maintain control of the House of Representatives. Additionally, the GOP has secured the U.S. Senate, granting them full control of Washington.
After securing its 218th seat on Monday—the number necessary for a majority in the House—Decision Desk HQ projected the GOP would keep the House, as reported by The Hill.
This outcome is a notable win for Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who has emerged from relative obscurity to lead the House GOP in both legislation and campaign efforts.
Republicans ousted several at-risk Democratic incumbents while defending some of their own vulnerable seats, including those held by Reps. David Valadao (R-Calif.) and Don Bacon (R-Neb.). Businessman Rob Bresnahan unseated Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-Pa.), while state Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R-Pa.) defeated Rep. Susan Wild (D-Pa.).
Although some GOP members lost their seats, those wins helped to balance the scales. Notable losses included Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.) and three first-term Republicans from New York: Reps. Anthony D’Esposito, Marc Molinaro, and Brandon Williams, who lost their reelection bids.
With votes still being counted in several California races, the final House makeup remains uncertain. However, Republicans are expected to enter the upcoming Congress with a slim majority once again.
The exact seat count will significantly affect Johnson's political future, the scope of policies Republicans can advance, and the functioning—or potential gridlock—of the House.
During his victory speech early Wednesday morning from Palm Beach, Fla., Trump acknowledged Johnson's efforts: “It also looks like we’ll be keeping control of the House of Representatives. And I want to thank Mike Johnson. I think he’s doing a terrific job.”
The House GOP’s strong support for Trump’s administration was clear as House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) and House GOP Chair Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) traveled to Mar-a-Lago to celebrate Trump’s win.
For months, top House Republicans have been coordinating with their Senate counterparts on legislative priorities they can rapidly advance within the first 100 days of unified Republican control. Their agenda includes extending Trump’s tax cuts, increasing funding for the border wall, reversing certain climate policies, and promoting school choice.
Should Republicans maintain full government control, Johnson has indicated he will seek reelection as Speaker. However, a few hardline conservatives have voiced opposition to him; earlier this year, Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) attempted to unseat him, though the effort was blocked by House Democrats.
To retain his position, Johnson will need a majority vote on the House floor when Congress convenes on January 3, 2025, which will require near-unanimous Republican support.
In an October interview on the campaign trail, Johnson told The Hill he anticipates “having my party’s support for Speaker” when the House votes.
The GOP victory also means House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) will miss the opportunity to become the first Black Speaker of the House.
With battleground districts spanning from coast to coast—most of which were in regions that were not highly competitive in the presidential race—the contest for control of the House was nearly as intense as the race for the White House. Democrats had hoped to capitalize on voter concerns regarding the Republican stance on reproductive rights; however, they would have needed a net gain of at least four seats to claim a House majority.
National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Chair Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), who is running for reelection, highlighted several key strategies that bolstered the House GOP’s campaign on election day.
“They were able to make every dollar go farther by dividing the cost of television ads with candidates in a way that allowed them to benefit from lower candidate rates,” Hudson explained. He also noted that the NRCC established over 40 field offices, which he referred to as “battle stations.”
“I feel like the last couple cycles, national parties have gotten away from ground game, and we made a major investment in our ground game this time around,” Hudson said.