The final House race was officially called setting the tables for the new Congress come January, and Republicans will have the slimmest majority in more than a century.
The breakdown in the House is Republicans hold 220 seats while Democrats have 215 seats with a net gain of one seat from their pre-election total, but several Republicans are headed out to join the Trump administration.
This comes after Democrats were able to flip one more House seat in the final race called more one month after the election.
Adam Gray won the race in California‘s 13th Congressional District in a central part of the state.
He ousted Republican incumbent Congressman John Duarte in a rematch after the Republican won the race in 2022.
When the race was called Gray, a California Assembly member, was leading Duarte by just 187 votes.
Gray declared victory Tuesday night as five more counties certified their results.
‘I’m honored to become the Congressman-elect for California’s 13th Congressional District,’ he said in a statement.
‘ln Washington, I’ll work everyday to deliver the resources that the Valley needs: clean water, better educational opportunities, stronger infrastructure, and more good-paying jobs,’ Gray continued. ‘And you can count on me to build bipartisan relationships to accomplish these goals.’
His win comes after Democrats in California were able to flip the state’s 45th Congressional District last week with Derek Tran ousting Congresswoman Michelle Steel.
But Republicans were able to hold onto a seat in Iowa in a close congressional race in the state’s 1st Congressional District with the reelection of Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks.
With the final House race called, Republicans could face serious challenges as they work to carry out President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda in the new year with a trifecta in Washington.
Republicans will hold the majority in the House in the next Congress but will face a slim majority
While Republicans won 220 seats in the House, they will be down three seats early next year when Congresswoman Elise Stefanik and Congressman Michael Waltz join the Trump administration as U.S. Ambassador to the UN and National Security Adviser respectively.
At the same time, former Congressman Matt Gaetz said he will not return for the 119th Congress after abruptly resigning last month even though he is no longer nominee for attorney general.
When all is said and done, Republicans will hold a 217 House majority to Democrats’ 215 until special elections can be held later next spring to fill the vacant seats.
But despite the hurdles he faces, Speaker Mike Johnson projected optimism this week.
‘People are excited about what we were able to achieve in electing another Republican House majority, keeping the majority, and ensuring that we have the majority in the Senate, and now President Trump returning to the White House,’ Speaker Johnson said Wednesday morning.
When asked how he plans to keep his caucus in line, Johnson smiled and claimed they’ve developed an expertise in that and know how to work with a small majority.
‘Yes, do the math, we have nothing to spare, but all of our members know that,’ he acknowledged.
At the same time, Republican were able to flip the Senate but do not have a filibuster-proof majority with 53 seats to Democrats’ 47.
