By Brendan Scanland
WASHINGTON, D.C. — After winning the White House and flipping Senate seats in West Virginia, Ohio, Montana and Pennsylvania, Republicans are also on track to keep control of the House of Representatives. Doing so would deliver a “political trifecta” for the GOP.
Today, House Republicans are expressing confidence in their chances of retaining control of the U.S. House. Democrats believe there is still a path for control—albeit a narrow one.
As of Friday afternoon, over 20 House races have yet to be called, some of them, razor thin- within just a few hundred votes.
In the 435-seat chamber, 218 seats are needed for control. So far, House races have been called for 199 Democrats and 211 Republicans. That includes three seats flipped by the GOP in battleground Michigan and Pennsylvania.
“Donald Trump just had an ability to resonate with the people of the state and specifically my district,” said Republican Congressman-elect Rob Bresnahan, who will soon represent PA-08 after defeating six-term Democratic Congressman Matt Cartwright in a historically blue district.
“Regardless of my district makeup, I’m going to Washington, D.C. to get things done,” said Bresnahan, crediting his success to running on kitchen table issues. “It’s the economy that works, communities that are safe and borders that are secure,” he added.
Democrats have also ousted Republican incumbents, including three in New York. In NY-19, Democrat Josh Riley defeated Republican incumbent Rep. Marc Molinaro.
With several of the outstanding races leaning in Republicans’ favor, the party is expected to keep control, but margins could matter.
“The trifecta of having the House and the Senate, plus the presidency is anything a president wants. But let’s remember, those margins are really, really close. And Republicans did have a little bit of a problem holding their conference together. And that cost one speaker his job,” said Dr. Todd Belt, a professor and Director of the Graduate School of Political Management at George Washington University.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R- LA) formally launched his bid to keep his job as Speaker for the new Congress on Wednesday.
