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Jimmy Williams
With Donald Trump securing a second term and Republicans taking control of both the Senate and the House, the GOP is poised to enact a strong agenda. However, eight House seats and one Senate seat remain uncalled, which could influence the exact Republican margins in Congress. Here’s a look at the ongoing races:
The Senate Race to Watch
Pennsylvania Senate
Despite Trump’s win in Pennsylvania, the Senate race between Democratic incumbent Sen. Bob Casey and Republican challenger Dave McCormick remains undecided. With results extremely close, the race is heading for a recount. Casey, seeking his third term, faces McCormick, a former hedge fund CEO who previously ran for the Senate in 2022.
Remaining House Races
Alaska At-Large District
Republican Nick Begich is challenging Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola in Alaska’s single statewide district. Although Begich is leading, he has yet to reach the 50% threshold required to avoid a ranked-choice runoff. GOP leaders are confident they would hold the seat in a ranked-choice scenario if it proceeds.
California’s 9th District
Democratic Rep. Josh Harder holds a narrow lead over Republican Kevin Lincoln, the mayor of Stockton, in this contested California district.
California’s 13th District
In California’s Central Valley, GOP Rep. John Duarte faces a close race against Democratic challenger Adam Gray, a former state legislator. This seat could further bolster Republican numbers if Duarte wins.
California’s 21st District
Democratic Rep. Jim Costa is in a tight race with Republican Michael Maher, a former FBI agent, in this Fresno-area district. The outcome could influence the final balance of power in the House.
California’s 45th District
GOP Rep. Michelle Steel is narrowly ahead of Democratic Army veteran Derek Tran. This race has been one of the most expensive in the country, and recent batches of votes have favored Tran, leaving the final result uncertain.
Iowa’s 1st District
Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who won her 2020 race by just six votes, is again in a razor-thin contest, this time against Democrat Christina Bohannan. Only a few hundred votes separate the candidates.
Maine’s 2nd District
Democratic Rep. Jared Golden leads Republican Austin Theriault, a former NASCAR driver, but the final outcome depends on Maine’s ranked-choice vote tabulation, given Golden’s sub-50% lead.
Ohio’s 9th District
In Ohio, long-serving Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur is in an extremely close race with Republican state Rep. Derek Merrin. This seat is crucial for both parties, as it could slightly alter the GOP’s majority margin.
These remaining races will determine the Republicans’ exact control in Congress. With ranked-choice voting in Alaska and Maine, the final counts may take several days. The results will not only set the tone for the GOP’s legislative agenda but also reveal how unified the party’s control of Washington will be as Trump enters his second term.
