GOP Retakes Majority of House After Democrats Retain Control of Senate

The GOP has secured the majority of the House of Representatives by a narrow margin as Democrats retained control of the Senate, marking the start of what is expected to be a divided government.

Despite Republicans winning control of the House, it was not through the "red wave" that many top GOP members predicted. The GOP was able to secure enough wins in contested seats against Democratic lawmakers.

GOP Wins House Majority

The right-wing party picked up at least 218 seats and will soon take over the chamber next year as GOP leaders are facing blowback about their failure to deliver in what many thought of as a favorable political environment for Republicans.

The expected single-digit margin will start a new era of a divided American government in Washington. The Republican win comes as Democrats, coming into the 2022 midterm elections, knew that the GOP had more of an advantage to gain seats.

The situation was due to a number of factors, including Democrats' narrow five-seat majority and the number of retirements of veteran members. However, despite the disadvantages, the left-wing party did much better than what many expected, as per NPR.

With the GOP gaining control of the House, they are expected to clash with a Democratic-led Senate next year. Many are anticipating bitter fights over basic functions, such as funding the government that is threatening to paralyze the American government.

Republican candidates sought to capitalize on voter frustration over the rising costs of necessities, such as groceries and gas. They framed the election as a referendum on U.S. President Joe Biden and the Democratic party's rule of both the House and Congress.

According to Reuters, the Republican Party's victory gives them the power to rein in Biden's many agendas. It also allows the GOP to potentially launch politically damaging probes of Biden's government and his family.

A Divided Government

The final results that solidified the GOP's win against Democrats in gaining a majority of the House came after more than a week of counting ballots. Edison Research was the one that projected Republicans winning the 218 seats needed to secure the House. The victory that took the party over the line was California's 27th Congressional district race.

In a statement following news of Republicans taking control of the House, President Biden said that the American people "want us to get things done for them." Biden's son, Hunter, is also expected to face struggles as the GOP is most likely going to probe his past business dealings.

Biden also congratulated Senate Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy for the latter party's win in the election. The Democratic leader noted that voters clearly expressed their demands, including lower costs, the right to choose, and democracy.

Republicans, in their efforts to win back the majority of the House, focused the party's campaign messaging primarily on issues that many voters saw as most important. These included rising crime and the flailing American economy. On the other hand, Democrats focused on the issue of abortion following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn