House of Representatives on a Knife's Edge: Will Republicans Claim Victory?**

Tue Oct 21 2025 22:20:19 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

As vote counts continue, the battle for the House remains tight with Republicans just shy of the needed seats to gain control.**

With the Senate locked in Republican hands, all eyes are on the remaining races as both parties fight for dominance in the House of Representatives. Key contests across California, Arizona, Maine, and Ohio may determine the future balance of power.**

As the dust settles from the recent elections, the future control of the US House of Representatives hangs in the balance. As of Thursday morning, Republicans are just seven seats shy of the required 218 to take control, while Democrats need to secure 15 more seats. With Republicans also holding the Senate and the White House, President-elect Donald Trump anticipates a full majority when he takes office on January 20, 2025. Achieving control of the House is crucial, as it allows the ruling party to initiate spending legislation and even launch impeachment proceedings.

Democrats are already eyeing five pivotal races in California that could sway the House back to their favor. While incumbents currently maintain narrow leads, challengers are hopeful they can flip these blue. Notable races include:

- In California's 45th district, Republican Michelle Steel leads Democrat Derek Tran by 4 points.
- A mere 2-point margin separates Republican Mike Garcia and Democrat George Whitesides in California's 27th.
- The race in California's 41st district has Republican Ken Calvert ahead of Democrat Will Rollins by just 2%.
- Democrat Rudy Salas faces a tough battle against Republican David Valadao, who is leading by 10 points in California's 22nd district.
- In California's 13th district, Democratic Adam Gray is behind Republican John Duarte by 2 points.

Shifting our focus to Arizona, where two closely-watched races have margins under 2%; Republican Juan Ciscomani is barely ahead of Democrat Kirsten Engel by 0.5 points, while David Schweikert leads Democrat Amish Shah by just 1%.

In Maine, incumbent Democratic Congressman Jared Golden is in a nail-biting race against Republican Austin Theriault, holding a mere 1-point advantage. Likewise, Democrats are hoping to maintain their hold in Ohio’s 9th district, where Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur is struggling to fend off Republican challenger Derek Merrin by just 0.3 points.

Stay tuned as the final vote counts roll in—these outcomes could redefine the political landscape for the next two years!