Republicans take control of US House, Congress split: projections, Networks reported that Republicans narrowly secured a legislative base to oppose President Joe Biden’s agenda for the remaining two years of his term by taking control of the US House of Representatives from Democrats on Wednesday, splitting power in Congress. In addition to failing to take control of the Senate in a historically poor showing in the November 8 midterm elections, the slim Republican majority in the lower house of the US legislature will be much smaller than the party had anticipated.
Republicans take control of US House, Congress split: projections
In the 435-member House of Representatives, NBC and CNN predicted that Republicans would win with at least 218 members, the necessary number to seize power. This happened a week after the midterm elections, in which a large number of Americans cast ballots and traditionally rejected the party in power.
“On Republicans winning the House majority,” Biden congratulated top House Republican Kevin McCarthy, adding that he was “ready to work with House Republicans to deliver results for working families.” He claimed that last week’s vote “strongly rejected election skeptics, political violence, and intimidation” and showed “the strength and resilience of American democracy.”
McCarthy stated in a tweet shortly after the projection was called that “House Republicans are ready to deliver” because “Americans are ready for a new direction.” The announcement of a new presidential bid by former president Donald Trump, who loomed large during the election cycle and whose support may have doomed some of his party’s candidates, came one day earlier.
With inflation surging and Biden’s popularity ratings cratering, Republicans had hoped to see a “red wave” wash over America, giving them control of both houses and hence an effective block over most of Biden’s legislative plans. But instead, Democratic voters — galvanized by the Supreme Court’s overturning of abortion rights and wary of Trump-endorsed candidates who openly rejected the result of the 2020 presidential election — turned out in force.
And Republicans lost ground with candidates rejected by moderate voters as too extreme.
– ‘Officially flipped’ –
With 50 seats plus Vice President Kamala Harris’ tie-breaking vote, Biden’s party now has an unbeatable majority in the upper chamber. They also managed to hold onto two additional seats in competitive states Arizona and Nevada. The Democrats may eventually increase their majority in the upper house if a runoff election for the Senate in Georgia, scheduled for next month, goes their way.
Having the 100-seat body in his corner will be a huge advantage for Biden as the Senate is in charge of overseeing the confirmation of federal judges and cabinet members. McCarthy, meanwhile, won his party’s leadership vote by secret ballot on Tuesday, placing him in a strong position to succeed Nancy Pelosi as speaker.
The 57-year-old California congressman, a senior member of the House Republican leadership since 2014, defeated Andy Biggs, a representative of the powerful far-right Freedom Caucus. However, when the whole chamber votes in January, potential far-right defections might still make things more difficult for him.
McCarthy now launches what is anticipated to be a difficult campaign to win the crucial floor vote on January 3, when the 435 newly elected Democrats and Republicans in the House of Representatives choose their speaker, the third-most significant US political position after the president and vice president.
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