WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republicans could secure a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives after the midterm elections, when President Joe Biden’s Democrats beat expectations and retained the Senate. Rulership rested on Monday.
Republicans came close to winning the House, winning 211 seats against Democrats’ 206, needing 218 to get a majority. But nearly a week after Americans turned out to vote, officials continue to count ballots, and the final result may not be known for days.
After overrunning the Senate over the weekend and dispelling hopes of a “red wave” of Republican victory, Democrats saw their performance as vindication of their agenda and the validity of the election results. It was portrayed as denouncing Republican efforts to weaken it.
Other famous unconvened races include the Arizona gubernatorial race. In this election, Republican Kari Lake, who pushed former President Donald Trump’s baseless claims of his 2020 election fraud, was hunting down his Democratic opponents.
There are still 18 good House elections, including 13 viewed as closely competitive, according to a Reuters compilation of independent leading forecasters. The remaining 10 contests were held in liberal-leaning California.
A Republican victory in the House would end two years of a divided government while empowering Biden’s opponents to limit his political agenda and launch an investigation that would potentially damage his administration and family. set the stage.
Republican Rep. Jim Banks from Indiana hopes his party will win a majority in the 435-seat Congress and act as a “last line of defense against Biden’s agenda.” and launched an investigation into a U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. , the origins of COVID and pandemic lockdowns.
“This should be the focus of every committee in Congress, especially the Republican-controlled House,” Banks told Fox News on Thursday.
House Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Sunday she would not make a statement on whether she intends to retain leadership until control of the House is determined.
There was speculation that Pelosi would step down, especially if the Democrats lost their majority, especially after her husband was attacked by an intruder at his San Francisco home last month.
Pelosi, 82, told ABC News on Sunday during the House election: “We are not giving up.”
Georgia Showdown, Arizona Gubernatorial Election
Democrats, who secured control of the Senate with Nevada Senator Katherine Cortez Mast’s victory on Saturday, are shifting their focus to a runoff vote in Georgia that could bolster their power in Congress.
If the Democrats win the December 6th runoff election between Senator Rafael Warnock and Republican Senator Herschel Walker, the party will take full control of the majority and increase its influence over committees, legislation, and judicial elections. will be
With Nevada’s victory, the Democrats won the Senate 50-50, with Vice President Kamala Harris tying the vote.
Even with Republicans winning a narrow majority in the House, the performance of the Democrats suggests they succeeded in portraying their opponents as extremist, leading to a national vote following their appointment to the conservative bench. It points in part to the Supreme Court’s decision to abolish the right to legal abortion.
But the results also add to the increased scrutiny of Trump, who has used his popularity among far-right conservatives to influence Republican candidates nominated for Congress, governors, and local constituencies. Connected.
A Republican loss in Georgia could further dent President Trump’s popularity, with advisers considering announcing his third run in the 2024 presidential election this week.
He beat Democrat Katie Hobbs in the Arizona gubernatorial race by 1.1 percentage points, with an estimated 93% of the vote, according to Edison Research.
The election results appeared to draw introspection from the top Republican congressman. Veteran Republican Senator Lindsay Graham said the planned Senate Republican leadership election should be postponed until after the Georgia election.
“All Republicans should focus on winning Georgia and try to understand the midterm elections before moving on to the Senate leadership race or the 2024 presidential election.
By Rami Ayyub.Edited by Lincoln Feast and Toby Chopra
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