Republicans keep the House, securing both Congress and the White House
A House race was called that gave the Republicans the majority they needed to keep control of the House. This majority helps narrow the chances that rogue Democrats would derail the certification of Donald Trump’s election. It also gives Trump majorities in both chambers of Congress when he begins his second term. However, a slim majority opens the door to the increased effects of stalled legislation given the intraparty and interparty disputes that normally occur.
From The Hill:
The final House breakdown is uncertain, with ballots still being counted for several races in California. But Republicans are expected to have another slim majority heading into the new Congress.
Those exact numbers will matter a lot for Johnson’s political future, for which policies Republicans can enact, and how the lower chamber will function — or not function.
Trump gave the Speaker a shoutout in his victory speech from Palm Beach, Fla., in the early hours of Wednesday: “It also looks like we’ll be keeping control of the House of Representatives. And I want to thank Mike Johnson. I think he’s doing a terrific job.”
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) and House GOP Chair Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) also joined Trump at Mar-a-Lago to celebrate his victory, in an indication of the House GOP’s strong commitment to backing the Trump administration.
Top House Republicans have been working with Senate Republicans for months on legislative plans that they can swiftly send to Trump in the first 100 days of total Republican control. Those include extending the tax cuts passed in Trump’s first term, boosting border wall funding, repealing climate initiatives and promoting school choice.
But there are likely to be plenty of obstacles for Republicans’ ambitious agenda. The last two years of the historically slim House GOP majority was marked by intraparty disputes that, at times, brought legislative activity to a halt. That chaos was headlined by the historic ouster of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).
Additional Reading:
Brooks, E. (2024, November 11). Republicans win House, delivering Trump a trifecta. The Hill. Link.
Category: 2024 Election, Donald Trump
