The House of Representatives count from the November 3 midterm elections is nearing its final tally, with Democrats holding a clear majority and only a handful of races still to be called. As of Wednesday, November 11, the Associated Press had called 254 seats for Democrats and 163 for Republicans, with 18 races still uncalled. Decision Desk HQ called the House for Democrats at 9.09pm on election night, and the Associated Press followed at 1.24am.
Seven Senate flips, dozens of House flips
Democrats won control of both the House and the Senate in the midterms, flipping seven Republican-held Senate seats — in Iowa, Kansas, Maine, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas — and more than two dozen House districts, according to the Associated Press. They also won Republican-held governorships in Georgia, Iowa, Ohio and Texas, and flipped twelve state legislative chambers.
Republicans went into the election holding 218 House seats to 214 for Democrats, with one independent who caucused with Republicans and two vacancies. All 435 seats were on the ballot. Democrats are projected to hold at least 254 seats, and Hakeem Jeffries is poised to become the first Black Speaker of the House, subject to a vote in January.
What is still pending
Most of the races still open will be settled over the next four weeks, through certification, recounts, ranked-choice tabulation and two runoffs. Key dates set by state law include Friday, November 13, when Maine’s ranked-choice tabulation in the 2nd District is expected to finish, and November 18, when Alaska’s ranked-choice tabulation begins for its Senate race and its at-large House seat.
Two governor races, in Alaska and Kansas, were also still too close to call as of Tuesday morning, along with the two Senate races in Alaska and Mississippi. States are certifying their results before the 120th Congress convenes at the US Capitol on January 3, 2027. The new Congress will include at least 109 incoming House freshmen, the biggest such class in nearly a century, and at least 17 senators are departing.
Related reading: House Races Still Uncalled as Maine Ranked-Choice Count Continues and Congress Lame-Duck Day Two: Leadership Vote and December 11.
