Republicans win House, ending full Democratic control of Congress

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Republicans on Wednesday were projected to win back control of the U.S. House with a narrow majority, dealing a blow to President Biden and his agenda — even as Democrats defied predictions of a rout to limit the power of the new GOP majority.

Republicans needed to flip at least five seats to retake the House and fulfilled that goal with little room to spare after a campaign in which they sought to harness dismay at inflation, crime and the direction of the country. Their gains fell well short of the red wave they once envisioned, as Democrats countered with campaigns centered on abortion rights and fighting GOP extremism.

Democrats’ show of strength enabled them to hold onto the Senate and come up just short of a historic upset in the House, creating a split Congress that left Republicans in both chambers battling over who’s to blame and who should lead the party forward. Still, a coming shift in power — which in January will end two years of unified Democratic control in Washington — is sure to complicate the second half of Biden’s term, as Republicans gain the ability to launch investigations and block legislation.

The decisive win came in California’s 27th congressional district, where Rep. Mike Garcia (R) fended off Democratic challenger Christy Smith. Biden carried the area easily in 2020, boosting Democratic hopes to flip the seat. But Smith, a former state lawmaker, lost to Garcia, a former Navy pilot, in two matchups in 2020 – a special election as well as a general election several months later.

Shortly after Republicans secured the victory, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) issued a celebratory message on social media. “Democrats’ One-Party rule is OVER,” McCarthy wrote on Twitter, adding that he and House Republicans are ready to get to work for the American people, and fulfill our #CommitmentToAmerica with a GOP House Majority.”

Biden released a statement congratulating the Republicans on their victory, but noted the Democrats’ better-than-expected performances across the country.

“In this election, voters spoke clearly about their concerns: the need to lower costs, protect the right to choose, and preserve our democracy,” said Biden. He added, “I will work with anyone — Republican or Democrat — willing to work with me to deliver results for them.”

Some House races had yet to be resolved by Wednesday, including several in California, and the final outcome in all of them may not be known for some time. But the likely result is a slim GOP House majority in which party leaders probably will need bipartisan support for some legislation as they try to wrangle differing GOP factions.

Election results: House of Representatives

The president’s party almost always loses seats in a first midterm, and Republicans sought to make this year’s election a referendum on Biden and the economy as prices soared at their highest rate in 40 years. However, exit polling suggests that Democrats effectively tapped into anger over rollbacks of abortion access and that they managed to shift the focus to their opponents in key races.

The House is already narrowly divided, with the current Democratic majority holding 220 seats. Democrats have won 210 seats so far for the next Congress.

The slim GOP majority to come has forced many GOP members, aides, and strategists come to grips with the prospect that their agenda might never come to fruition. Internal fractures have made it difficult for Republican House speakers over the past decade to control the far-right wing of the party.

Some Republicans in the House are already voicing worries that the small size of their majority will embolden members on the right. Even a small group of GOP lawmakers could block measures while lobbying for their priorities.

McCarthy on Tuesday won his fellow Republicans’ nomination to serve as Speaker next year, besting far-right Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) in a 188-to-31 secret-ballot…