By Aliyah Siddiqui
Nation and World Editor
The House of Representatives 2024 election results have yet to be called, although Republicans seem likely to win control over the House. According to the Associated Press, as of Nov. 13, Republicans have won 217 seats while Democrats have 207 seats, with 11 races yet to be called. In order to have a majority, a party needs 218 seats.
To date, most of the races that have yet to be called are from California, where mail ballots can be received up to seven days post-election day. Races in Alaska, Arizona, Iowa, Maine, Ohio and Oregon also have to be called.
According to CBS, all 435 seats in the House of Representatives were on the ballot, with the majority being slim for whichever party wins the majority. If the Republicans win the House, they will have control of both chambers of Congress, as Republicans won enough Senate races to take back the majority.
The Cook Political Report, which measures the competitiveness of the House elections, predicts that 22 races are the most competitive, with either party having a chance of winning. CPR measures competitiveness based on the district’s political makeup, the candidates’ strengths and weaknesses and the current political landscape on both a state and national level.
Already, Republicans have gained and maintained seats in several close elections. For example, Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) and Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.) were able to beat their Democratic incumbents, while in the swing state of Pennsylvania, Rep. Ryan Mackenzie and Rob Bresnahan were able to gain seats over the Democrats.
In order for the Democrats to take control of the House, CBS reported that Democrats will need to flip seats in four Republican-held districts while winning all of their current seats. However, some agencies are already predicting that Republicans will maintain control over the House, with Decision Desk HQ calling that Republicans have won the House.
If Republicans take the majority in the 119th Congress, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, has already announced that they will work to advance Trump’s agenda of increasing security across the U.S.-Mexico border, implementing mass deportations and regulating education.
In a speech delivered outside the House with other GOP leaders, Johnson declared that a Republican-controlled Congress would have a “mandate” and they would “hit the ground running to deliver President Trump's agenda in the 119th Congress.”
“The American people want us to implement and deliver that America First agenda,” Johnson said, “and we must do that while we have that energy and that excitement, beginning on the very first day of the Congress in the new year.”
According to The Hill, however, even if Republicans take control of the House, there still may be some obstacles. For example, in the past two years with Republicans having a thin majority control over the House, intraparty issues have led to delays in legislation. For example, in 2023, Republicans spent weeks trying to find a new Speaker after ousting Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from the position.
Regardless of potential issues the new Congress may face, the current Congress still has a number of tasks to fulfill. According to the Associated Press, Congress still needs to pass a bill for government funding and spending bills for the current fiscal year.
Congress also needs to work on replenishing the Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster relief fund, much of which was depleted during Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The current Congress will also be working on a defense policy bill and confirming President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees.
