Republicans have secured a House majority in the next Congress, Newsmax projects.
Decision Desk projections on Tuesday night said the GOP would notch its 218th seat – a pickup of 10 seats – a tally that earns a majority. Democrats are projected to win 203 seats, with more than a dozen races still undecided.
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Owning the majority gives House Republicans the power to determine what bills will be presented for floor votes, and control over the chamber’s various committees.
BREAKING: Republicans to control the House pic.twitter.com/WQCSLd6b6R
— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) November 16, 2022
It also guarantees that President Joe Biden and Democrats won’t be able to pass laws furthering what critics deride as 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.
House Majority 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 on Tuesday, 188-31.
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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 will challenge McCarthy to be speaker.
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“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. Read more at Newsmax.