Nov. 9 (UPI) — Political power still hung in the balance in the U.S. House Wednesday, with too many races too close to call. Republicans failed to produce a Red Wave, but control of the House is still to be decided as the vote count continues.
Republicans used the highest inflation in decades to push hard to win control of the House, as both parties have picked up seats.
With 218 seats needed to control the House, the tally as of 9 p.m. Wednesday stood at 205 seats won by the GOP and 182 seats won by Democrats.
Republicans need to gain five House seats to win a majority.
Democrats were able to stave off a Republican tide, as the vote count continues with control of the House still undetermined.
In Michigan’s 3rd congressional district, Democrat Hillary Scholten beat Republican John Gibbs 54.8% to 41.9% in an open-seat race, becoming the first Democrat to win in that district near Grand Rapids since the 1970s, The Washington Post, CNN and NBC News reported.
“We built this campaign the way I hope to build a new generation of representation here in west Michigan, not clutching desperately to squabbles of the past but focused on our shared future, together,” Scholten told supporters in Grand Rapids shortly after polls closed Tuesday night.
Gibbs tweeted a concession just before 11 a.m. EST Wednesday, writing “through no fault of our own, the results did not turn out the way we wanted.”
Gibbs was a Trump-appointed administration official at the department of Housing and Urban Development.
In a major House loss for Democrats, Republican Mike Lawler won New York’s 17th Congressional District over Sean Patrick Maloney. Maloney, the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, conceded the race according to the New York Times.
Maloney, the House representative for the 18th District, switched to run in the 17th following redistricting. The seat was held by Rep. Mondaire Jones, who lost in the Democratic primary for the 10th District seat.
The House race tilts toward Republicans since just 19 of their House races are considered competitive compared to 45 Democratic seats, according to the Cook Political Report.
In Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District, Republican Don Bacon won re-election, beating Democrat Tony Vargas. Vargas conceded via email Wednesday morning, according to KETV.
“What we accomplished in this district. I think it’s very sizable,” said Bacon. “A billion for Offutt, we’re working on $600 million for Eppley Airfield. $2.5 billion for UNMC, $3 billion for roads and bridges. A lot of accomplishments.”
The Republicans were also able to flip a seat in New York with Marcus Molinaro taking the 19th Congressional District.
Unofficial state results showed Molinaro secured 50.2% of the vote. Democrat Josh Riley, a former policy analyst at the Department of Labor and lawyer, had 48%.
“I am incredibly grateful to the people in New York’s 19th Congressional District,” Molinaro said in a statement Wednesday. “Together, we will focus on solutions to address inflation, crime & mental health, along with having the best constituent services for Upstate New York.”
Riley conceded defeat in a statement that said it was now time to set aside divisions and “do our best to unite.”
“This is not the result we had hoped for, and I’ll be honest: I’m disappointed. But I’m not discouraged,” he said. “In fact, quite the opposite: this campaign has inspired me.”
The seat was left vacated in late May when Antonio Delgado, a Democrat, resigned to become New York’s lieutenant governor.
Democrat Rep. Pat Ryan filled the seat afterward, but ran for re-election in the 18th district due to redistricting. Ryan is in a close race with Republican State Rep. Colin Schmitt for the 18th District Seat
In other key races, incumbent Democrat Rep. Cindy Axne conceded defeat Wednesday to Republican Zach Nunn.
“Even though the numbers were’t in our favor this year, I encourage you all to continue to have the hard conversations with your friends and your neighbors about the issues that matter the most to you,” she said, adding that representing Iowa’s 3rd District “has been one of the best opportunities of my life and I hope Zach Nunn understands the responsibility of this office.”
Axne defended women’s reproductive rights and urged enshrining Roe V. Wade into federal law. She also urged voters to back her by citing a Biden administration effort to lower gasoline prices by allowing use of the ethanol additive E-15 year-round.
Nunn ran on 2nd amendment gun rights and labeled Democrats as radical far leftists attacking the country. He ran against abortion, claimed to “back the blue” and urged supporters to vote for him asserting during his campaign that he would “defend the border.”
The Democrats were able to hold off a Republican push to capture Indiana’s 1st District from incumbent Rep. Frank Mrvan.
Unofficial state results say Mrvan had 52.8% of the vote to Republican challenger Jennifer-Ruth Green’s 47.2%.
Green, who serves in the U.S. Air Force and is closely aligned with Trump, conceded defeat Wednesday night.
“In two years, we will have another chance to build on last night’s success and flip this district,” she said in a statement. “And maybe in the process, we’ve sent a message to Congressman Mrvan, and those like him, that he needs to represent us, not Nancy Pelosi.”
The seat has been held by a Democrat for more than 90 years and is only two of nine that are blue in the state.
