Newsmax Projection: GOP Flips House With 219 Seats Secured

Republicans have secured a House majority in the next Congress, Newsmax can officially project.

The GOP on Tuesday clinched its 219th seat, a tally that earns a majority. Democrats are projected to win 206 seats, with 10 races still undecided.

California District 3 going to Republican Kevin Kiley was the 218th seat to be clinched at 6:13 p.m. ET on Tuesday night, just hours before former President Donald Trump's 9 p.m. ET announcement at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.

The 219th seat is Rep. Mike Garcia, R- Calif., who officially won California District 27  Tuesday,

Owning the majority gives House Republicans the power to determine what bills will be presented for floor votes, and control the gavel of the House committees.

It also guarantees President Joe Biden and Democrats will not be able to pass partisan laws, furthering what critics call inflationary spending and a progressive agenda, and likely means there will be oversight and investigations into such things as the Afghanistan troop withdrawal, the administration's COVID-19 response, and business dealings involving Biden's family members.

Current House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has been in line to become speaker, though some members have called for other candidates to emerge. He won a first vote Tuesday 188-31.

McCarthy and other GOP leaders are facing backlash after the party failed to snag control of both chambers in the midterms.

Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., told Newsmax Monday night that he would challenge McCarthy to be speaker.

"The one thing you got to think about is it's going to be a tight majority so everyone is going to have to work together," McCarthy said.

Among the races that could expand the GOP majority:

1. Colorado District 3 — Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., leading Democrat Adam Frisch by 1,122 votes.
2. California District 22 — Rep. David Valadao, R-Calif., leads by more than 5 points.

Democrats can close the gap, leading these eight races:

1. Alaska's lone House seat — Democrat Mary Peltola leads Republicans Sarah Palin and Nick Begich in the ranked-choice voting format, which would need Begich or Palin voters to have the other ranked No. 2 on their ballot by a vast majority. That will not be decided until Nov. 23.
2. Maine District 2 — Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, leads Bruce Poliquin by more than 3 points in a race to be determined on ranked-choice voting.
3. Oregon District 6 — Democrat Andrea Salinas leads Republican Mike Erickson by less than 3 points.
4. California District 13 — Democrat Adam Gray leads Republican John Duarte trails by 761 votes.
5. California District 21 — Rep. Jim Costa, D-Calif., leads Republican Michael Maher by almost 9 points.
6. California District 6 — Rep. Ami Bera, D-Calif., leads by more than 12 points.
7. California District 15 — Democrat Kevin Mullin leads by more than 12 points.
8. California District 47 – Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., leads Republican Scott Baugh by 2,891 votes.

This article contains information from The Associated Press.

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