Republicans have successfully retained their majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, securing full control of Washington by holding the White House and both chambers of Congress. According to Associated Press projections on November 13, Republicans surpassed the threshold needed to maintain a majority in the House for the upcoming 119th Congress, extending their hold after a challenging two-year term marked by intra-party struggles and a narrow margin.
Before the election, Republicans held a slim advantage in the House with 220 seats to Democrats’ 212, with a few vacancies. The final composition for the 119th Congress is expected to mirror these numbers once all races are decided. This outcome is a setback for Democrats, who had hoped to reclaim the House and build on their 2019-2023 control under former Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi’s retirement from leadership paved the way for Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York to become the House Democratic leader, positioning him as the first Black leader of a major party in Congress.
On November 13, House Republicans re-elected Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson to lead their conference. Johnson, who stepped into the speaker role following Kevin McCarthy’s tumultuous tenure, will assume the position again in January 2025, pending a smooth leadership transition. Johnson’s initial election as speaker in 2023 came after significant GOP discord left the House without leadership for weeks, a delay that hindered congressional productivity and budget negotiations.
The narrow Republican majority in the 118th Congress, which often required near-unanimous support from GOP members to pass legislation, led to heightened influence for the party’s furthest-right members. This faction’s leverage allowed them to push their agenda by threatening to derail legislation that didn’t align with their views. The intense infighting ultimately resulted in McCarthy’s ousting as speaker, underscoring the challenges Republicans faced in managing internal divisions and legislative agendas.
Johnson, known for his role in a controversial 2020 election objection effort, now has a renewed opportunity to shape GOP-led policy in the House. His leadership will be critical as Republicans enter the 119th Congress with control of both legislative chambers and the executive branch.
