Verna Smith

Democrats Claim Historic House Majority After Midterm Wave Democrats now hold 254 seats in the House, with projections pointing to a final total of 260 or 261 once remaining races are called. That would exceed the majority they secured after the 2008 election and mark the largest margin any party has held since 1990. The scale of the result exceeds most pre-election forecasts. The accompanying map shows Democratic gains across redrawn districts and longtime Republican territory. Flips appeared in North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, California, and other states. High midterm turnout, driven heavily by cost-of-living concerns, powered the outcome. Republicans entered the cycle defending a narrow majority and a series of seats that had looked competitive or safer under earlier maps. Mid-decade redistricting efforts in key states did not deliver the firewall many expected. With Democrats also controlling the Senate, the party will hold both chambers for the final two years of the Trump administration. Divided government is now locked in. Legislative priorities from the White House will face a larger Democratic majority than anyone projected, while oversight power shifts firmly to the other side of the aisle. The result resets the balance of power heading into the next presidential cycle and leaves Republicans with a smaller conference and fewer leverage points in the near term.