Welcome to the online edition of From the Politics Desk. This evening newsletter brings you the latest reporting and analysis from campaigns, the White House and Capitol Hill from the NBC News politics team.
In today’s edition, we explore how Republicans aim to maintain their current House majority and expand their newly won Senate majority after Donald Trump’s victory. Furthermore, Kamala Harris acknowledged and promised a peaceful transition of power.
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House battles take center stage as Trump party seeks complete control of Washington
Written by Scott Wong, Sahil Kapur, Kyle Stewart
Republicans regained control of the White House and the Senate. All eyes are now on the House of Commons. Democrats see the House as their last line of defense against President-elect Donald Trump and his policies.
The fight for the majority involves high stakes.
Will Mr. Trump be able to leverage the Republican trifecta that is expected to support his policies and demands? Or will he face a Democratic-run House that uses subpoena power to check his legislative policies and investigate his administration?
NBC News has not yet predicted which party will control the House in 2025 because many races have not yet been called. But given Trump’s decisive victory over Vice President Kamala Harris, House Republicans are becoming bullish about their chances of retaining their slim majority.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) predicted in a statement from West Palm Beach, Florida, where he was spending time with Trump and others, that he and his party would retain power in the House.
“House Republicans have succeeded in securing important reversals in battleground states like Pennsylvania and Michigan, while our nation’s veteran incumbents have secured reelection across the country,” Johnson said in a statement. said. “The latest data and trends show that even in the face of a map of 18 seats won by Biden, Republicans will maintain a majority when all votes are counted.”
Congressional Democrats are processing Trump’s victory relatively quietly, but they have no intention of throwing in the towel. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York sounded optimistic Wednesday afternoon, pointing to some bright spots. He said Democrats are targeting vacant seats in Virginia and Michigan, redistricting wins in Alabama and Louisiana, and four Republican seats in New York.
“The House remains highly functional,” Jeffries said in a statement. “The path to regaining the majority currently runs through Arizona, Oregon, Iowa, and several Democratic-leaning districts in Southern California and the Central Valley where the election is too close to call. The party that will have a majority in the House of Representatives in January 2025 has not yet been determined. We must count every vote.”
Read more →
Meanwhile, the question on the other side of the Capitol is whether Republicans can further expand their new majority in the Senate.
Republican Tim Sheehy defeated Democratic Sen. Jon Tester in Montana, giving the Republican Senate 52 seats, NBC News reported Wednesday morning.
However, Democrats managed to retain two seats in battleground states that Trump won at the presidential level. NBC News reported Wednesday that Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin fended off a challenge from Republican Eric Hovde in Wisconsin, and Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin defeated former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers in Michigan. It was reported that it was broken.
That leaves three key Senate races unconvened as of late Wednesday afternoon. In Arizona, Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego leads Republican Kari Lake in votes, but it’s too early to call the race. And the races between Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen and Republican Sam Brown in Nevada and between Democratic Sen. Bob Casey and Republican challenger Dave McCormick in Pennsylvania are too close to call. .
NBC News has not yet counted votes for the presidential election in Arizona and Nevada, but projects Trump to win in Pennsylvania.
Click here for details on Encore Race →
Harris confesses in front of an emotional crowd at his alma mater
Written by Natasha Koleki
Vice President Kamala Harris tried to soothe disappointment and offer words of strength to hundreds of supporters Wednesday as she conceded the presidential election, but some supporters wiped away tears during her speech. There were also people.
“The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we asked for, not what we fought for, not what we voted for, but what I say… Hear me…The light of America’s promise will always burn bright.” Alma mater Howard University.
Harris acknowledged that Democrats are “feeling and going through a range of emotions right now” after losing to former President Donald Trump and offered to comfort them.
But she stressed that Democrats must accept the election results to preserve democracy. In her campaign concession on Wednesday, Harris did something Trump never did.
“Earlier today, I spoke with President-elect Trump and congratulated him on his victory. I also told him that we will support him and his team in the transition and ensure a peaceful transfer of power. ” she said, drawing cheers from the crowd.
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🗞️ Today’s Top News
📊 By the Numbers: Trump wins, according to NBC News exit polls. Continue reading → 📈 Changing coalition: Trump’s record increase among Latino voters largely boils down to their biggest issue: the economy. Continue reading → ⚖️ Legal implications: Justice Department officials have decided to close two federal criminal cases against Trump before he takes office to comply with long-standing department policy that sitting presidents cannot be prosecuted. I’ve been considering how to downsize it. Meanwhile, the state’s criminal case against him could be frozen at least until he leaves office. Continue reading → 🩺 Future ‘White House health czar’?: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who could play a key role overseeing public health issues in the second Trump administration, will take vaccines away from the public. He said he had no intention of bringing it up. Read more → 📝 Agenda: Here’s an overview of the policies we expect to be top priorities for President Trump, who is set to take office on January 20th. And here’s what Trump’s return to the White House means for the economy and the economy. tax. 🌎Worldview: While there is celebration in Israel, Ukrainian authorities face an even more uncertain future following President Trump’s victory. Continue reading → 🗳️ Ballot bill battle: Constitutional amendments to protect or expand abortion rights passed in seven of the 10 states that appeared on the ballot Tuesday, NBC News reports. The result ends the winning streak for reproductive rights advocates since Roe v. Wade was defeated. Read more → Follow us for live election updates →
That’s all from the political desk. If you have any feedback, love it or hate it, email us at politicsnewsletter@nbcuni.com.
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