GOP picks up more key House seats while Democrats insist they still have a path to a majority

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican leaders projected assurance Thursday that they will support control of nan U.S. House arsenic much races were decided successful their favor, while Democrats insisted they still spot a way toward nan mostly and sought assurances every ballot will beryllium counted.

The GOP picked up 2 much hard-fought seats successful Pennsylvania, which became a stark battlefield of Democratic losses up and down nan ticket. Democrats notched another triumph successful New York, defeating a 3rd Republican incumbent successful that state.

Both parties successful nan House huddled privately connected convention calls to measure nan governmental scenery arsenic Congress prepared to return adjacent week to a changed Washington, wherever a expanse of MAGA-infused GOP powerfulness is wrong scope for President-elect Donald Trump.

“The latest information indicates that we will besides clasp — and apt turn — our Republican mostly successful nan House,” Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson said successful a missive to colleagues, seeking support to stay arsenic House speaker.

But Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said “it has yet to beryllium decided” which statement will power nan House arsenic respective cardinal races remained uncalled.

Seeing their options narrow, Democrats focused connected flipping a fistful of seats successful Arizona, California and perchance Oregon to adjacent nan gap.

“We must count each vote,” Jeffries said.

A last tally successful nan House will almost surely person to hold until adjacent week, astatine nan soonest, erstwhile Congress is backmost successful convention and prepares to elite its caller leaders, including nominees for House speaker and nan legislator who will switch outgoing GOP Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

The predetermination results were beyond what Republicans had moreover hoped for, including a mostly successful nan Senate, wherever 2 races were still undecided — successful Arizona betwixt Democrat Ruben Gallego and Republican Kari Lake and successful Nevada betwixt Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen and Republican Sam Brown.

The Associated Press called much races Thursday. In Pennsylvania, Republican Ryan Mackenzie defeated incumbent Democratic Rep. Susan Wild successful nan Allentown-area district, and Republican Robert Bresnahan dislodged Democratic Rep. Matt Cartwright successful nan Northeast portion of nan state.

Pennsylvania’s Senate title betwixt Sen. Bob Casey and able businessman Dave McCormick was decided successful McCormick’s favor, giving Republicans a 53rd spot successful nan chamber.

Democrats made up immoderate crushed successful New York, wherever Laura Gillen hit incumbent GOP Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, nan 3rd flip for Democrats successful Jeffries’ location state.

Attention progressively focused connected nan West, wherever Democrats were eyeing what’s near of their way to nan majority.

Democrats would request to expanse nan astir contested races, including 2 successful Arizona and respective successful California, to triumph power. But tallies are expected to resistance connected arsenic California, successful particular, counts message successful ballots that are arriving successful nan week aft nan election.

Republican Rep. Richard Hudson, president of nan National Republican Congressional Committee, told lawmakers connected a backstage telephone that he’s assured nan GOP will clasp nan House majority, according to a Republican who is acquainted pinch nan telephone but said connected information of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose details.

Trump is consolidating powerfulness successful Washington, returning to nan White House a overmuch much ascendant unit than successful his first term, erstwhile Republicans divided complete their support for him and immoderate were openly skeptical if not opposed to his rise.

This time, Johnson and Senate GOP leaders person drawn person to Trump, relying connected his powerfulness for their ain arsenic they thrust a communal Republican schedule much aligned pinch his MAGA priorities than what had been a much mainstream blimpish GOP approach.

Johnson, successful his missive to colleagues, utilized a shot metaphor to opportunity he’s “ready to return nan section pinch each of you” to play “the biggest discourtesy of our lives.”

While Johnson is successful statement to stay House speaker successful nan caller Congress, if Republicans support control, nan mobility of who will switch McConnell, who led his statement successful flipping Senate control, is its ain aggravated contest.

The choices facing Republican senators for a caller leader are betwixt nan “Johns” — No. 2 Republican Sen. John Thune and Texas Sen. John Cornyn — and a longshot, Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, who is favored by hard-right Senate conservatives who want Trump to measurement successful connected nan race.

Cornyn and Thune, who some campaigned for Trump, are building support among senators successful what is expected to beryllium a adjacent title connected backstage ballots.

Thune has worked to mend a rocky narration pinch Trump, and nan 2 said arsenic precocious arsenic Wednesday, according to different Republican acquainted pinch nan backstage speech who said connected information of anonymity to talk it.

The South Dakota legislator had been captious of Trump successful nan aftermath of nan 2020 predetermination for stoking claims of fraudulent voting up of nan Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. Thune and Trump person been successful touch passim nan year, nan personification said.

Thune has suggested it mightiness beryllium champion if Trump stayed retired of nan activity race.

“It’s his prerogative to measurement successful connected that,” Thune said connected Fox News. “Frankly, I deliberation if he lets it play out, we’ll get nan correct person. I’ve had conversations pinch him and person told him that we want to get his squad successful spot truthful that he tin deed nan crushed moving and get to activity connected an schedule to make judge that he and our squad succeeds.”

The Republicans are eyeing speedy action aligned pinch Trump’s day-one priorities, which revolve astir cutting taxes, deporting immigrants who are successful nan state without definite ineligible status, and reducing national regulations and operations.

But aft nan chaos of nan past 2 years of GOP power of nan House, it’s unclear really overmuch Republicans will beryllium capable to accomplish, particularly if they person different razor-thin mostly pinch fewer seats to spare for dissent, successful nan look of guidance from Democrats.

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Associated Press writers Kevin Freking, Stephen Groves, Farnoush Amiri and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.