WASHINGTON — The results of the 2024 general election brought a big shift of who holds power in U.S. Congress.
The Republican Party has retaken control of the U.S. Senate while the U.S. House of Representatives remains in play.
Channel 2 Washington Correspondent Samantha Manning was in Washington to break down the impact of the election on the balance of power at the Capitol.
For the first time in four years, Republicans will control the U.S. Senate after flipping seats in several states and could still take several more.
“I think there is a populist and an anti-incumbent wave because of the impact of both the pandemic and the recovery from it,” U.S. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) said.
As far as what Republican control of the upper chamber means, current Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said there were two points he found positive.
“I think one of the most gratifying results of the Senate becoming Republican is the filibuster will stand. There won’t be any new states admitted that give a partisan advantage to the other side,” McConnell explained.
It’s critically important for the GOP because power in the Senate determines confirmations for cabinet members and U.S. Supreme Court justices, if a vacancy opens.
The majority party also controls what legislation will be debated and brought to a vote in that chamber.
McConnell is stepping down from leadership, so Republicans will be working to choose their next party leader in the Senate.
Meantime in the U.S. House, dozens of races still have yet to be called, leaving who controls the chamber in question.
Democrats would need to flip a net gain of four Republican seats to take control of the House. If Republicans remain in control, House Speaker Mike Johnson would likely keep his position, and President-elect Donald Trump would have a much easier path to passing his agenda.
If Democrats do win control of the House, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries would likely be the next Speaker.
Should that happen, a divided government, based on party lines, may slow down the incoming Trump administration’s plans.
It could be days before the results of the uncalled House and Senate races are finalized and it’s important to keep an eye not only on which side wins control of Congress, but also the size of their majority.
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