US Midterms: Republicans Win Control of the House

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Facts

  • After over a week since the Nov. 8 midterms, Republicans are now projected to win a majority in the US House of Representatives. This portends two years of divided government as the Democratic Party retained control of the Senate.
  • The GOP secured the 218 seats needed to flip control from the Democrats on Wednesday evening following a win in California's 27th Congressional district. However, their majority will still be quite slim and narrower than was generally predicted before the midterms.
  • The race saw incumbent California Republican Rep. Mike Garcia score a victory over Democrat Christy Smith. The race was called with 75% of the vote tabulated and Garcia ahead by 54.2% to Smith’s 45.8%.
  • The outcome will end Democrat Nancy Pelosi’s tenure as House Speaker. GOP leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is favored to take the post.
  • Biden congratulated McCarthy on his party's success in the midterms, saying, "I will work with anyone — Republican or Democrat — willing to work with me to deliver results for the American people."
  • Per the Associated Press, Democrats will finish with at least 210 seats but no more than 217.

Sources: Reuters, Daily Mail, New York Post, Guardian, DW, and Associated Press.

Narratives

  • Democratic narrative, as provided by CNN. There was no so-called "red wave." Though Republicans eking out a majority is a win for them, their road ahead won't be a cakewalk. The Republican party is deeply divided, and Kevin McCarthy's first challenge will be formally getting elected House Speaker. Democrats only need to influence a few Republicans along the way to yield influence in the new House.
  • Republican narrative, as provided by Fox News. Now that Republicans have control of the House, they can proceed with investigating Hunter Biden's business dealings, the process of the Jan. 6 Committee, and Biden's catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan. Democrats wrongly thought Americans were worried about access to abortion and so-called "threats to democracy," but, in reality, Americans are more concerned over bread-and-butter issues, like inflation and the economy.