Trump leads GOP to House majority in sweeping DC victory
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With control of the presidency, Senate, and House, the Republican Party enters a new political era.
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The Capitol in Washington, United States on November 4, 2024. (AP)
According to the Associated Press (AP), Republicans are expected to retain their slim majority in the House, marking a victory for Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) following two years of turmoil in the chamber. With total control of Congress upon taking office, President-elect Trump will have a clear path to advancing his policy agenda.
Republicans gained four Senate seats, securing a majority in the upper chamber with 53, marking their first control of the Senate in four years.
Moreover, House Republicans clinched the majority after Reps. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.) and Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.) secured victories on Wednesday, bringing the GOP total to 218 seats. The party is set to gain a few more seats but will still maintain control of the House by an extremely narrow margin.
Trump has deepened that dynamic by selecting Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) as his UN ambassador and Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) as his national security advisor.
It is worth noting that a critical win in Nebraska helped Republicans solidify their lead, with GOP Senator Deb Fischer fending off a strong challenge from independent Dan Osborn. Meanwhile, Democrats saw their attempts to defend their slim Senate majority falter as vote counts across the country tilted in favor of Republicans.
On November 6, Republicans secured a critical victory in West Virginia, flipping a US Senate seat from the Democrats. West Virginia Governor Jim Justice, a former Democrat who became a Republican shortly after his 2016 election, defeated Democrat Glenn Elliott in a contest to replace retiring independent Joe Manchin. Manchin, a centrist who often sided with Democrats, left the seat open, which Republicans were expected to capture.
Trump's sweeping victory back into office
Trump has been elected the 47th president of the United States in a remarkable political comeback that has sent shockwaves across the nation and internationally.
Several world leaders swiftly offered their congratulations, with many expressing hope for continued or strengthened cooperation with the United States under his renewed leadership.
At 78, Trump becomes both the oldest person and the first convicted criminal to win the White House. He defeated Vice President Kamala Harris, who was vying to make history as the first woman, first Black woman, and first South Asian American president in the US.
As the votes rolled in, Trump secured North Carolina early, the first key battleground to be called. Later, he clinched Georgia and Pennsylvania, signaling a strong path to victory. Shortly after 2 a.m., he addressed supporters at his campaign headquarters in West Palm Beach, Florida, flanked by family, key aides, and his vice-presidential choice, Ohio Senator JD Vance.
Last week, Trump won Arizona, securing all seven key states. He had already secured the 270 Electoral College votes necessary for victory and finished with a final total of 312 votes, compared to Harris' 226.
The President-elect also secured the swing states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Nevada, making it seven for seven. In comparison, Joe Biden won six out of the seven swing states in the 2020 election, narrowly losing North Carolina.
