Key House seats fall to Republicans, but Democrats maintain they can still win a majority.

On Thursday, Republican leaders expressed optimism that they will maintain control of the US House of Representatives because to the favorable outcomes in several contests. On the other hand, Democrats maintained that they still have a chance to become the majority and demanded guarantees that every vote will be considered.

Pennsylvania became a clear battlefield of Democratic losses across the board as the GOP gained two more closely contested districts there. By unseating a third sitting Republican in the Empire State, Democrats scored yet another victory. In preparation for next week's return to a new Washington, where President-elect Donald Trump is within striking distance of a sweep of GOP dominance imbued with MAGA, members of both parties in the House convened privately on conference lines to examine the political situation. In a letter to colleagues, Speaker Mike Johnson said, "The latest data indicates that we will also hold — and likely grow — our Republican majority in the House." Johnson was asking for their support to keep the gavel.

But Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries stated that the outcome of numerous important elections is still up in the air, saying that "it has yet to be decided" which party would control the House. Democrats, realizing their alternatives were limited, zeroed in on the possibility of capturing a few seats in Arizona, California, and maybe even Oregon in order to narrow the gap. "Every vote must be counted," Jeffries emphasized.

When Congress returns to session next week to elect new leaders—including candidates for House speaker and the senator to succeed outgoing GOP Minority Leader Mitch McConnell—a final tally in the House is likely to have to wait until then, at the latest. Even with two races still up for grabs in Arizona (between Democrats Ruben Gallego and Republican Kari Lake) and Nevada (between Democrats Sen. Jacky Rosen and Republican Sam Brown), the election results were better than Republicans could have imagined, and they even managed to secure a Senate majority.

On Thursday, additional races were called by the Associated Press. Republican Ryan Mackenzie took down Democratic incumbent Susan Wild in the Allentown-area seat in Pennsylvania, while Republican Robert Bresnahan succeeded Democratic incumbent Matt Cartwright in the Northeast region of the state. With the victory of affluent businessman Dave McCormick against Senator Bob Casey, Republicans gained a 53rd senatorial seat in Pennsylvania. This was the third state in which Democrats gained momentum; in New York, incumbent Republican Rep. Anthony D'Esposito was defeated by Democrat Laura Gillen.

This occurred in Jeffries' home state. The Democrats, who were glancing at their remaining path to the majority, shifted their attention to the West. To gain control, Democrats would have to win the most closely contested races, which includes multiple in California and two in Arizona. In instance, California is still counting mail-in ballots that are arriving a week after the election, so tallies are likely to take longer than planned. A Republican familiar with the call, who asked to remain anonymous due to not being authorized to disclose details, informed lawmakers that House Republican Conference chairman, Rep. Richard Hudson, expressed confidence in the GOP's ability to maintain the majority on a private call.

Compared to his first term, when Republicans were divided over his support and some were openly dubious or even hostile to his ascent to power, Trump is reentering the Oval Office with a considerably stronger grip on Washington. This time around, Senate GOP leaders and Johnson have become closer to Trump, hoping to harness his influence to further their own Republican agenda that is more in line with his "Make America Great Again" goals. In his letter to colleagues, Johnson made use of a football metaphor to express his readiness to play "the biggest offense of our lives" alongside his colleagues.

If Republicans maintain control of the House, Johnson will likely continue in her role as speaker. However, the succession to Mitch McConnell, who spearheaded the party's successful takeover of the Senate, is a contentious issue in and of itself. When it comes time for the Republican senators to choose a new leader, they have two strong candidates in mind: John Cornyn of Texas and No. 2 Republican John Thune. Another long shot is Florida Sen. Rick Scott, who is supported by conservatives on the far right of the party who want Trump to become involved in the contest. The senators Cornyn and Thune, who were both involved in Trump's campaign, are rallying behind one other in what is shaping out to be a tight race on private ballots.

According to another Republican who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss it, Thune has been trying to repair his connection with Trump, and the two spoke as recently as Wednesday. After the 2020 election, the senator from South Dakota criticized Trump for fueling allegations of voting fraud in the lead-up to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. According to the source, Thune and Trump have maintained communication throughout the year. According to Thune, Trump should probably stay out of the race for leadership. "It's his decision to make a statement on that," Thune stated during his appearance on Fox News.

I really believe that we will find the perfect candidate if he just lets things unfold. In our discussions, I've made it clear that we'd like to see his team assembled as soon as possible so that he can begin implementing our plan for success. The Republican Party is planning to move swiftly in accordance with Trump's first day goals, which center on lowering taxes, expelling individuals in the nation without specific legal status, and decreasing federal operations and regulations. It is uncertain what the Republicans can do with another razor-thin majority and few seats to spare for dissent, given the anarchy of the previous two years of GOP rule of the House, particularly in light of the opposition from Democrats.