Rep. Juan Ciscomani, a Republican in his first term, at his office in Tucson, Arizona, on August 9, 2024. The Republicans effectively secured control of the House of Representatives on Wednesday after The Associated Press declared an Arizona race for Ciscomani. (Ash Ponders/The New York Times)
By CATIE EDMONDSON
Earlier this week, Republicans solidified their dominance in the House by retaining several key seats in Arizona and California and defeating incumbent Democrats in pivotal battleground areas, granting the GOP a governing trifecta in Washington to implement President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda.
The exact size of the Republican majority in the House remained uncertain, with early counts suggesting they would maintain a narrow lead over Democrats. Some crucial contests in the West were still counting votes, while a few other races remained too close to be determined.
The resignation of Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., on Wednesday following President-elect Donald Trump’s announcement that he would nominate him for attorney general added further complexity to the Republican calculus. However, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., the minority leader, has already acknowledged that his party fell short, and The Associated Press announced that Republicans had effectively gained control of the chamber after declaring an Arizona race for Rep. Juan Ciscomani.
Even a slender majority represents a remarkable success and turnaround for the Republicans, who just a year earlier worried that voters would hold them accountable for the chaos and dysfunction dominating the House under their control. Instead, party leaders have stated their intention to leverage their grip on power in Washington to rapidly advance legislation—encompassing a broad array of tax cuts, deregulation of domestic oil and gas production, and strict border security policies.
“Republicans in the House and Senate have a mandate,” Speaker Mike Johnson declared at a news conference by the Capitol on Tuesday. “It was a significant victory nationwide.”
”We’re going to raise an America First banner over this establishment,” he added subsequently.
As a red wave surged across the country, reflecting voter dissatisfaction with the current Biden-Harris administration, many House Democrats and candidates found themselves unable to transcend Vice President Kamala Harris’ electoral performance.
The party suffered its most significant losses in Pennsylvania, where Republicans unseated Rep. Matt Cartwright, who had held his Scranton-based 8th Congressional District seat since 2013. Rep. Susan Wild, who had flipped her Lehigh Valley 7th District seat in 2018, also faced defeat.
Several Democratic incumbents in the House exceeded expectations, maintaining their positions in Trump-friendly areas and denying Republicans anticipated victories.
Additionally, Democrats in New York reclaimed three troublesome seats, defeating Reps. Marc Molinaro, Anthony D’Esposito, and Brandon Williams in the Hudson Valley, Long Island, and Syracuse.
However, across the nation, Democratic challengers fell short in races that party strategists believed they could win. Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, a seasoned Republican, overcame the political obstacles in his liberal-leaning Omaha district to secure a fourth term. Furthermore, incumbents facing tight races in Iowa and Arizona successfully defended their positions, leaving Democrats falling short of the 218 seats required to regain control.
