Republicans are currently riding high, as what was expected to be a close presidential race resulted in a larger-than-expected victory for former President Donald Trump. The GOP is also performing well in its quest to control Congress, retaking the Senate and having a shot at holding onto the House as well. Here’s where things stand with control of Congress and what that would mean for the upcoming Trump presidency.
Republicans flip Senate after four years of Democratic control
Republicans are officially set to retake control of the Senate, as the GOP was able to flip at least three seats currently held by Democrats in conservative states. The retirement of conservative Democrat turned independent Joe Manchin in West Virginia was all but certain to put a Republican in the Senate from the deeply conservative state; and current Gov. Jim Justice won the Senate election easily. At least two other Democratic seats fell Tuesday night, with Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Jon Tester of Montana each losing to Republican challengers. Brown and Tester are each currently serving their third term in the Senate but represent states that have become reliably conservative in recent elections.
Meanwhile, two seemingly vulnerable Republicans held their Senate seats, with Ted Cruz surviving a strong challenge in Texas from Colin Allred and Rick Scott holding on in Florida. These results guarantee GOP control of the Senate, and with several races yet to be called, the Republican majority in the Senate could grow. This GOP majority will be a reversal of the past four years, as Democrats have held the Senate for the entirety of President Joe Biden’s term in office. When Biden took office, the Senate was split 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans, with Kamala Harris having the tie-breaking vote as vice president and thus giving Democrats control of the chamber. Democrats picked up a seat in the 2022 election, giving them their current slim 51-49 seat majority in the Senate. Come January, it will be Republicans who hold a small majority of Senate seats.
Control of the House remains unclear for now
It remains unclear which party will control the House of Representatives, as a number of races remain outstanding. If Democrats managed to pick up a few seats, they could reverse Republicans’ thin control of the House; such an outcome would likely lead to Hakeem Jeffries becoming the first Black speaker of the House. However, current Speaker Mike Johnson, a Trump ally, has expressed confidence that his Republicans will keep control of the House. Johnson said in a statement Wednesday that “as more results come in it is clear that, as we have predicted all along, Republicans are poised to have unified government in the White House, Senate and House.”
If Republicans manage to win majorities in both houses of Congress, this will give them firm control of all three branches of government and empower president-elect Trump to continue to push through his conservative agenda. With control of the Senate already determined, Trump and the GOP will be able to push through a number of federal appointments, including federal judges, and they will be able to fill any Supreme Court openings that develop, solidifying the conservative supermajority among Supreme Court justices.
Even without the House, Republicans are set to be the dominant force in Washington, D.C., come January, and given the Republican momentum in this election, keeping the House seems like a strong possibility. If Republicans do end up with a sweep this election, look for the GOP to quickly assert its will over the country.
