Follow-Up: AP Declares Democrats Win Back U.S. House Control With 218 Seats

The Associated Press declared in the early hours of November 4 that Democrats had won control of the U.S. House of Representatives. GSM previously reported projections by major news outlets that Democrats would retake the House; the AP declaration settles the outcome. Together with the Senate flip the AP declared earlier, Democrats will hold both chambers of Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump's term.

The AP's House balance-of-power snapshot showed Democrats having won 218 seats, reaching the majority threshold in the 435-seat House, with Republicans having won 132 seats; Democrats led in 41 districts and Republicans in 40, with uncalled races to decide the final margin. The 218th seat came in Texas's 35th District, where Democrat Johnny Garcia won; the AP declared him the winner at 1:23 a.m. Eastern on November 4. Before the election, Republicans held 219 seats to Democrats' 215.

The flip ends the Republican trifecta — control of Congress and the White House — held since Trump's second term began in 2025. The new Congress convenes in January 2027 and will elect a House speaker; current Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, had already expressed disappointment with the midterm results. District results are unofficial until canvassing and certification by each state.

Source: Associated Press

Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)

Photo: 图：位于华盛顿的美国国会大厦东立面。照片：公共领域，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: The east front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington. Photo: public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

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