WASHINGTON, Nov 14 (Reuters) – Control of the U.S. House of Representatives hinged on several tight races on Monday that could secure a majority for Republicans after the midterm elections, with Democrats under President Biden Exceeded expectations and retained the Senate.
Republicans came closer to taking House seats, winning 211 seats, while Democrats gained 206 seats and needed 218 to secure a majority. But the final result could be days away, as officials continue to count votes nearly a week after Americans went to the polls.
After winning the Senate over the weekend and dispelling GOP hopes for “red wave” gains, Democrats described their performance as justifying their agenda and condemned GOP efforts to undermine the validity of the election results.
Other high-profile uncalled races include the Arizona gubernatorial race in which Cary Lake, the Republican who promoted former President Donald Trump’s baseless 2020 election fraud allegations, trailed her. Democratic opponent.
According to a Reuters compilation of leading nonpartisan forecasters, there are still about 18 standout House races, 13 of which are considered tight. The remaining ten games are held in liberal-leaning California.
A Republican victory in the House would set the stage for a two-year split in government, while giving Biden’s opponents the power to limit his political agenda and launch potentially damaging investigations into his administration and family.
Republican congressman Jim Banks of Indiana said he expects his party to win a narrow majority in 435 seats and become “the last line of defense against Biden’s agenda” while launching an investigation into the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan . , the origins of COVID and pandemic lockdowns.
“This has to be the focus of every committee in Congress, especially the Republican-controlled House,” Banks told Fox News on Sunday.
House Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Sunday she would not announce whether she plans to remain in leadership until she decides on control of the House.
There has been speculation that Pelosi will resign if the Democrats lose their majority, especially after her husband was attacked by intruders at their San Francisco home last month.
“Very close,” Pelosi, 82, told ABC News during Sunday’s House race. “We didn’t give up.”
Georgia State Finals, Arizona Governor’s Game
Democrats are shifting their focus to the Georgia runoff race after Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada won control of the Senate Saturday, which could strengthen their role in the race. Congressional influence.
Democratic victory in December. A 6-day runoff between Senator Rafael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker will give the party an overwhelming majority, strengthening its influence over committees, bills and judicial elections.
The Nevada victory gave Democrats control of the Senate by a 50-50 vote, with Vice President Kamala Harris holding a tie-breaking vote.
Even with Republicans winning a narrow majority in the House, Democrats have shown success in portraying their opponents as extremists, in part because of the Supreme Court’s decision to remove nationwide abortion rights after conservatives named their bench.
But the results have also led to increased scrutiny of Trump, who has used his popularity among far-right conservatives to influence Republican candidates for congressional, gubernatorial and local campaigns.
The GOP loss in Georgia could further dent Trump’s popularity, as advisers say he is considering this week announcing a third bid for the 2024 presidency. He has been accused of boosting candidates who failed to reach a broad enough audience.
One candidate Trump staunchly supports is Cary Lake, who trails Democrat Katie Hobbs in the Arizona gubernatorial race by 1.1 points, with an estimated 93 percent of the vote, according to Edison Research. are counted.
The election results appear to have prompted soul-searching among top Republican lawmakers. Senior Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said the planned Senate Republican leadership election should be delayed until after the Georgia race.
“All Republicans should be focused on winning in Georgia and trying to understand the midterms before leading the Senate election or entering the 2024 presidential race,” Graham tweeted.
Writing by Rami Ayyub; Editing by Lincoln Feast and Toby Chopra
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