Control of the House on the line; see the tally
WASHINGTON – Control of the House of Representatives remains up for grabs as votes continue to be counted in pivotal U.S. House races, with both parties hoping to seize the lower chamber for 2025. It’s a last chance at power for Democrats after Donald Trump claimed the White House while Republicans gained a majority in the Senate.
It will take 218 seats to rule the House, and although neither party has reached the threshold, the numbers appear to favor the GOP. The Associated Press count put Democrats at 199 seats while Republicans had claimed 211 by Friday morning. Two dozen races remained too close to call.
You can follow the latest results from coast to coast and check out the races in your state here. Keep up with live coverage from across the USA TODAY Network.
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California: A tight race remains for Katie Porter’s seat
With 71% of votes counted as of Friday at 9:30 a.m., less than 700 votes differentiated the candidates in a race to represent California District 47, which encompasses Orange County and includes Irvine, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa and Newport Beach. It’s a battle to take the seat previously held by Rep. Katie Porter, a Democrat, after her failed Senate run.
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This year’s race is between two attorneys: Democrat Dave Min and Republican Scott Baugh, who is currently ahead but lost to Porter by more than 9,000 votes in 2022. Baugh is a former California Assembly member and served as chair of the Orange County Republican Party for a decade. Min worked for U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer as a senior economic advisor and voters elected him to the California Senate in 2020.
– Rachel Barber
Nebraska: ‘Blue dot’ district remains uncalled
Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District, encompassing Omaha, remains uncalled as of Friday morning. Republican Rep. Don Bacon is seeking reelection in the district dubbed the “blue dot.”
The nickname came after voters there went for Biden by more than 6 percentage points in 2020. Harris too won the district, and its one electoral vote, this year by 3.7 points.
Bacon is facing Democratic challenger and state Sen. Tony Vargas for a second time. With almost 95% of the vote counted and a 2.8-point lead, Bacon is on track to earn a fifth term in Congress. Earlier this year, he fended off a hardline conservative and Omaha businessman, Dan Frei, who had the backing of Nebraska’s GOP in the state primary.
– Savannah Kuchar
What to expect if Republicans control the White House and Congress
If Republicans win control of the House, the party will control both chambers of Congress, and the White House – a trifecta.From swift appointments of Trump’s Cabinet choices to major changes in policy, Republicans in Congress are likely to use their leverage to advance Trump‘s priorities and will likely face few roadblocks from the Democratic minority.
“This historic election has proven that a majority of Americans are eager for secure borders, lower costs, peace through strength, and a return to common sense,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said in a statement Wednesday, even as the House has not yet been called for Republicans and Democrats insist it is still in play.
— Riley Beggin
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