Republicans on Track for a Slim House Majority, With 17 Seats Yet To Be Called

Republicans are on track to retain their majority in the House, even though more than a dozen races have yet to be called. According to multiple outlets, Republicans have secured 214 seats, which means they need to win just four more races to cement their trifecta of power at Washington, D.C. Here’s a breakdown of races yet to be called.Alaska’s At-large districtCongresswoman Mary Peltola is trailing the Republican challenger, Nick Begich, by around 10,000 votes, with 20 percent of the expected vote yet to be counted. Ms. Peltola became the first Democrat to hold the seat since 1972 when she won a special election in 2022, held after the death of Congressman Don Young. Arizona’s 6th Congressional DistrictCongressman Juan Ciscomani leads the Democratic challenger, Kirsten Engel, by 4,905 votes, with 87 percent of the votes counted.The California MessThe bulk of the races that have not been called yet are in California, where several races have a significant amount of votes to count a week after Election Day. Other states with large populations, such as New York, Florida, and Texas, have mostly finished counting the votes and have no races yet to be called, which is leading some to wonder why California is taking so long. The delay is partly due to the number of votes cast. However, California’s process for counting ballots and the deadline for them to be returned are also factors. In 2020, California began mailing ballots to every registered voter, which increased the share of mail-in ballots being cast. Ballots that are received up to a week after Election Day are required to be counted. If there are issues with verifying a signature, election officials have to contact the voter to try to verify their identity before the vote can be counted.Voters who cannot have their voter registrations confirmed are given a provisional ballot, which election officials count after Election Day once their information has been confirmed. California also has same-day voter registration, where people can register to vote and then cast their ballot. If their information cannot be confirmed, they are also given a provisional ballot, which is counted after Election Day. California has the highest rate of voters who cast provisional ballots. California’s 9th Congressional DistrictCongressman Josh Harder leads the Republican challenger, Kevin Lincoln, by more than 7,000 votes, with 74 percent of the votes counted. California’s 13th Congressional DistrictCongressman John Duarte is leading the Democratic candidate, Adam Gray, by 2.2 percentage points and less than 3,000 votes with 62 percent of the votes counted.California’s 21st Congressional District Congressman Jim Costa is leading the Republican candidate, Michael Maher, by one percentage point, or 1,303 votes, with 66 percent of the votes counted.California’s 22nd Congressional DistrictCongressman David Valadao is leading the Democratic candidate, Rudy Salas, by 7.2 percentage points. Mr. Valadao is leading by 9,508 votes, with 77 percent of the votes counted. California’s 27th Congressional District As of Tuesday morning, the AP had yet to issue a projection for the 27th Congressional District. However, on Monday, Congressman Mike Garcia conceded to the Democratic challenger, George Whitesides. Mr. Garcia was trailing by 6,983 votes, with 83 percent of the votes counted.California’s 41st Congressional DistrictCongressman Ken Calvert leads the Democratic candidate, Will Rollins, by 7,548 votes, with 75 percent of the votes counted. California’s 45th Congressional DistrictCongresswoman Michelle Steel leads the Democratic challenger, Derek Tran, by 3,908 votes, with 84 percent of the votes counted.California’s 47th Congressional DistrictThe race to fill the seat held by Congresswoman Katie Porter, who is leaving the House at the end of the year, is close. The Democratic candidate, Dave Min, leads the Republican candidate, Scott Baugh, by 3,214 votes. As of Tuesday morning, 82 percent of the votes have been counted.California’s 49th Congressional DistrictCongressman Mike Levin leads the Republican challenger, Matt Gunderson, by more than 14,000 votes, with 82 percent of the votes counted.Colorado’s 8th Congressional DistrictCongresswoman Yadira Caraveo is trailing the Republican challenger, Gabe Evans, by 2,596 votes, with 96 percent of the votes counted.Iowa’s 1st Congressional DistrictCongresswoman Marianette Miller-Meeks holds a razor-thin lead over Democratic challenger, Christina Bohannan. With 99 percent of the votes counted, Ms. Miller-Meeks leads by 796 votes.Maine’s 2nd Congressional DistrictCongressman Jared Golden is leading the Republican challenger, Austin Theriault, by 726 votes, with 98 percent of the votes counted.Ohio’s 9th Congressional DistrictCongresswoman Marcy Kaptur is leading the Republican challenger, Derek Merrin, by 1,193 votes, with 99 percent of the votes counted.Oregon’s 5th Congressional DistrictCongresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer is trailing the Democratic challenger, Janelle Bynum, by more than 10,000 votes, with 87 percent of the votes counted. Washington’s 4th Congressional DistrictThe AP has not called this race. However, it will stay in Republicans’ hands as Congressman Dan Newhouse is facing a challenge from a fellow Republican, Jerrod Sessler. Mr. Newhouse leads by more than 13,000 votes, with 86 percent of the votes counted.While Republicans are expected to retain their majority in the lower chamber, it will likely be by a slim margin. With few votes to lose, it likely means President Trump will limit the number of House members he asks to serve in his administration.On Monday, Trump announced he asked Congresswoman Elise Stefanik to serve as the American ambassador to the United Nations. Trump also asked Congressman Michael Waltz to serve as national security adviser. Speaker Johnson told reporters on Tuesday that he has spoken to Trump about “the math” in the House when considering his appointments. He noted unexpected circumstances, such as members being sick or having “a car accident or a late flight,” can impact the vote. Mr. Johnson added that he does not expect Trump to pick any more House members to serve in the administration.

Republicans on Track for a Slim House Majority, With 17 Seats Yet To Be Called

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