After a chaotic and unproductive U.S. House session, voters surprisingly chose to keep things largely the same, with Republicans maintaining a slim majority in the House. Democrats did have some victories, including Shomari Figures’ win in Alabama’s new District 2 and a new minority-majority district in Louisiana.
The exact breakdown of the House remains unclear, with several races still being decided. Overall, the results show little change, with Republicans and Democrats each flipping seven seats, and only eight incumbents losing nationwide. The results suggest that political divisions are deeply entrenched, with few truly competitive races. Despite heavy spending in the election, the outcome didn’t change much in terms of party control.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries expressed disappointment that his party fell short of retaking the House, though he noted that Democrats gained seats in the new Congress despite challenging conditions.
Republican leaders, however, claimed victory, pointing to the results as a mandate to advance a conservative agenda. Much of their success came from flipping seats in Pennsylvania and benefiting from gerrymandered districts in North Carolina.
Democrats did well in New York, flipping three seats, and gained two redistricted seats in Louisiana and Alabama that were created to ensure fair representation for Black voters.
However, some democracy advocates are concerned that the redistricting process has led to fewer competitive districts, making it harder for voters to change the balance of power. Gerrymandering, along with growing political polarization, has made 85% of House seats safe for one party, reducing the likelihood of bipartisan cooperation.
As Republicans now control the House, Senate, and White House, there is little expectation of working with Democrats. Instead, they are focusing on passing partisan laws related to taxes, immigration, and federal regulations. However, infighting within the GOP may make it difficult to pass significant legislation, as cracks in unity are already appearing.