Republicans and Democrats Scramble for House Control: Key Races to Watch

Wed Oct 22 2025 17:09:58 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

With the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives still undecided, both parties are closely tracking several crucial races that could determine the majority.

As the final votes are counted, Republicans are just short of the 218 seats needed for control, while Democrats are aiming to overcome a significant deficit with 15 more seats to secure a majority.

In the wake of the recent elections, both Republican and Democratic parties are anxiously eyeing the outstanding races that could tip the scales in the U.S. House of Representatives. As of Thursday morning, Republicans hold 211 seats, needing just seven more for control, while Democrats fall 15 seats short of a majority. The upper chamber and executive branch have already shifted towards Republican influence with President-elect Donald Trump set to assume office on January 20, 2025.

Control of the House is critical, as it allows a party to initiate spending legislation and engage in impeachment proceedings. As live updates on vote counts continue, the focus has turned towards key battleground states, especially California, where the Democrats are closely monitoring five pivotal congressional races.

In California's 45th district, incumbent Republican Congresswoman Michelle Steel is narrowly leading against Democrat Derek Tran by 4 points. Similarly, California's 27th district is highly competitive, with Democrat George Whitesides trailing Republican Congressman Mike Garcia by just 2 points. The race remains tight in California's 41st district, where incumbent Republican Ken Calvert is ahead by a narrow margin of 2%. Other districts, like California's 22nd, show Democratic challenger Rudy Salas at a disadvantage against incumbent Congressman David Valadao by 10 points. Additionally, in California's 13th district, incumbent Republican Congressman John Duarte holds a slim lead over Democrat Adam Gray.

Moving east, Arizona's 6th and 1st districts showcase even tighter margins, with Republican Juan Ciscomani just 0.5 points ahead of Democratic challenger Kirsten Engel and Republican David Schweikert leading by 1% against Democrat Amish Shah. Meanwhile, in Maine's 2nd Congressional district, Democrat Jared Golden fights to retain his seat with only a narrow lead over his Republican opponent, Austin Theriault. Similarly, in Ohio’s 9th district, incumbent Democratic Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur leads her Republican challenger, Derek Merrin, by a mere 0.3 points.

With stakes this high, both parties are now fully engaged in a wait-and-see game, hoping the remaining votes will sway in their favor amid a charged political atmosphere.