WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican leaders projected confidence Thursday that they will keep control of the U.S. House as more races were decided in their favor, while Democrats insisted they still see a path toward the majority and sought assurances every vote will be counted .
The GOP picked up two more hard-fought seats in Pennsylvania , which became a stark battlefield of Democratic losses up and down the ticket. Democrats notched another win in New York , defeating a third Republican incumbent in that state. Both parties in the House huddled privately on conference calls to assess the political landscape as Congress prepared to return next week to a changed Washington , where a sweep of MAGA-infused GOP power is within reach for President-elect Donald Trump .
“The latest data indicates that we will also hold — and likely grow — our Republican majority in the House,” Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson said in a letter to colleagues, seeking support to remain as House speaker. But Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said “it has yet to be decided” which party will control the House as several key races remained uncalled.
Seeing their options narrow, Democrats focused on flipping a handful of seats in Arizona, California and possibly Oregon to close the gap. “We must count every vote,” Jeffries said. A finally tally in the House will almost certainly have to wait until next week, at the soonest, when Congress is back in session and prepared to elect its new lead.