Republicans are on the verge of achieving unified control of the US government after securing another House seat in Arizona, Al Jazeera reports, citing projections from the Associated Press.
Incumbent Congressman Eli Crane, representing Arizona’s second district, won re-election on Saturday, bringing the Republican party to 213 seats in the House, just five seats shy of a majority.
With Donald Trump’s victory in the November 5 presidential election and Republicans also securing control of the Senate, retaining the House would provide the party with a powerful mandate. This would allow them to advance their legislative agenda, including tax and spending cuts, energy deregulation, and tighter border security.
Democrats currently hold 203 seats in the House after Greg Stanton’s re-election in Arizona’s fourth congressional district on Sunday.
Nineteen races for the 435-seat House remain uncalled, primarily in western states where vote-counting is slower. Although a dozen of these seats are considered competitive, Democrats would need to win all of them to block Republican control. Republicans currently hold narrow leads in several of the tightest uncalled races, including those in Arizona, Colorado, and Iowa. Democrats, however, are ahead in close contests in Ohio, Maine, and Oregon. Six tight races in California are still up for grabs, with Republicans leading in four.
Trump Weighs Future Cabinet
As Republicans edge closer to unified power, Trump has continued meeting with potential candidates for future government roles. However, he ruled out bringing back two senior figures from his past administration known for their hawkish foreign policy views: former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump stated that he “will not be inviting” either Pompeo or Haley to join his team. He expressed gratitude for their previous service but reiterated his stance on the war in Ukraine, diverging from Pompeo’s position. Trump has repeatedly claimed he could end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office and has criticized US aid to Kyiv in its fight against Russia.
Inauguration Plans Announced
Trump also announced that his 2025 presidential inauguration will be co-chaired by real estate investor and campaign donor Steve Witkoff and former Senator Kelly Loeffler. Trump will be inaugurated on January 20, marking the start of his second, non-consecutive term as US President.
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