The GOP takeover will end two years of one-party control on Capitol Hill.
Republicans on Wednesday were projected to win back control of the U.S. House with a narrow majority, dealing a blow to President Biden and his agenda — even as Democrats defied predictions of a rout to limit the GOP’s power.
Republicans needed to flip at least five seats to retake the House and fulfilled that goal with little room to spare after a campaign in which they sought to harness dismay at inflation, crime and the direction of the country. Their gains fell well short of the red wave they once envisioned, as Democrats countered with campaigns centered on abortion rights and fighting GOP extremism.
Democrats’ show of strength enabled them to hold onto the Senate and come up just short of a historic upset in the House, creating a split Congress that left Republicans in both chambers battling over who is to blame and who should lead the party forward. Still, a coming shift in power — which in January will end two years of unified Democratic control in Washington — is sure to complicate the second half of Biden’s term, as Republicans gain the ability to launch investigations and block legislation.
The decisive win came eight days after Election Day in California’s 27th Congressional District, where Rep. Mike Garcia (R) fended off Democratic challenger Christy Smith, clinching the 218th seat for the GOP. Biden carried the area easily in 2020, boosting Democratic hopes to flip the seat. But Smith, a former state lawmaker, lost to Garcia, a former Navy pilot, in two matchups in 2020 — a special election as well as a general election several months later.
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Shortly after Republicans secured the victory, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) issued a celebratory message on social media. “Democrats’ One-Party rule is OVER,” McCarthy wrote on Twitter, adding that he and House Republicans were “ready to get to work for the American people, and fulfill our #CommitmentToAmerica with a GOP House Majority.”
Biden released a statement congratulating the Republicans on their victory, but he noted the Democrats’ better-than-expected performances across the country.
“In this election, voters spoke clearly about their concerns: the need to lower costs, protect the right to choose, and preserve our democracy,” Biden said. He added, “I will work with anyone — Republican or Democrat — willing to work with me to deliver results for them.”
Some House races had yet to be resolved by Wednesday, including several in California, and the final outcome in all of them may not be known for some time. But the broader result is a slim GOP House majority in which party leaders probably will need bipartisan support for some legislation as they try to wrangle differing GOP factions.
