In yet another blow to Democrats, Republicans have secured majority in the US House of Representatives.
This cements a dominant performance in the 2024 United States elections.
The Associated Press news agency announced that the party had hit the key threshold of 218 seats, out of a total of 435, after a victory in Arizona.
This win that ensures Republicans will continue to have a large say in key matters such as government funding, debt ceiling negotiations and foreign aid, and it spells an end to Democrats’ hopes that the lower chamber could serve as a blockade against Trump’s agenda.
Republicans had already won the White House and regained a majority in the Senate, so their victory in the House provides them with the last component of their governing trifecta.
Republicans have indicated they will use their trifecta to maximum effect when the new Congress is seated in January.
The victory in the House not only gives the Republicans leadership over both chambers of Congress, but it also assures that the party holds sway over all major branches of government.
Thanks to justices appointed during Trump’s last term in office, the Supreme Court has a six-to-three supermajority in the conservatives’ favour.
While many races, including the battle for the presidency, were called within hours of the polls closing on Election Day, the fight for control of the House took more than a week to decide.
That is because of the large number of seats at stake and the tight nature of some individual races.
Achieving an election trifecta; by winning control over the House, Senate and the White House, has cleared the way for Republicans to potentially enact their party platform, with little impediment from the left.
However, a trifecta is no guarantee against political infighting.
The Democrats previously held a trifecta from 2021 to 2023, but certain policy priorities were stymied by internal dissent, with some figures, like Arizona independent Kyrsten Sinema, bucking party orthodoxy.
Johnson Retains Speaker Role
Republicans voted in support of Mike Johnson retaining his role as House Speaker, the presiding officer in the chamber.
Trump gave Johnson a welcome boost during a meeting with House Republicans in Washington, when he endorsed the speaker’s bid to extend his tenure and indicated that Johnson has his full support.
Johnson returned the praise by celebrating Trump as a “singular figure in American history.” He added, “They used to call Bill Clinton the comeback kid. [Trump] is the comeback king.”
In a news conference, Johnson said, “It is a new day in America.”
Johnson added that Trump spoke to the Republican lawmakers.
“Everyone feels very confident, very encouraged about the days ahead.
“And he gave us a very inspirational message. He talked about the importance of maintaining unity and standing with this leadership team to go forward.”
Mike Johson
Meanwhile, every two years, all 435 seats in the House are up for re-election. That marks a stark contrast with the upper chamber of Congress, the Senate, where terms are six years in length, and only a third of the senators face re-election at any given time.
Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, has said that there are lessons to be learned from the election in all directions, “and we will certainly do an after-action analysis at the appropriate time.”
This analysis may help Democrats win back a majority in the 2026 midterm elections, but for now, they must face the reality of a fully Republican Congress ready and willing to do Trump’s bidding.
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