WASHINGTON. Donald Trump’s Republican Party held a slim lead on Friday in the high-stakes battle for control of the U.S. House of Representatives, as election officials worked to tally the remaining votes that could tip the scales. According to Edison Research projections, the GOP has claimed 211 seats so far, leaving them just seven shy of the 218 needed to secure a majority in the 435-seat chamber. Meanwhile, 24 races remain uncalled, keeping Democrats in the running, although their path to a House majority has narrowed.
In a surprising turn, Democrats successfully flipped two Republican-held seats in New York, bolstering their hopes. Democrat Laura Gillen unseated Republican U.S. Representative Anthony D’Esposito in Long Island’s suburban district, while Democrat Josh Riley overcame Republican U.S. Representative Marc Molinaro in New York’s Catskills region. These victories could be crucial as Democrats aim to gain 18 of the remaining 24 seats to counter Republican control.
Republicans are poised to command at least a 53-seat majority in the Senate, providing them a strong foundation to support Trump’s policies, which focus on tax cuts, energy deregulation, and stricter border security measures. A GOP-led Senate would also ease the confirmation of Trump’s cabinet appointments, judges, and other officials, although the lack of a 60-vote supermajority means they may face hurdles in passing some key legislation swiftly.
Meanwhile, in Nebraska, Republican Representative Don Bacon retained his seat, fending off Democrat Tony Vargas in Omaha’s left-leaning district. This victory helps solidify the Republican foothold, while Democrats’ remaining hopes lie in pivotal regions in California and New York.
The Senate race has also captured national attention, with two key states still in play. In Nevada, Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen led her Republican challenger Sam Brown by 1.3 percentage points, with 96% of the expected vote counted. Over in Arizona, Democrat Ruben Gallego held a 1.7 percentage point lead over Republican Kari Lake, with 74% of the votes tallied.
As the final vote counts trickle in, the nation waits to see whether Republicans will take full congressional control, granting Trump considerable power to pursue his agenda, or if Democrats can secure enough ground to mount a legislative challenge.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
