Republicans one seat away from taking House majority

Republicans are one seat away from securing the 218 members they need to take control of the House chamber with key wins projected in Arizona and California late Monday.

The Associated Press called Arizona’s 1st Congressional District for GOP Rep. David Schweikert and the state’s 6th District for Republican Juan Ciscomani around 9:25 p.m.

The AP also called the race in California’s 41st District for GOP Rep. Ken Calvert and in the 45th District for GOP Rep. Michelle Steel. The GOP also picked up another seat in New York in the 22nd District, which was called for Brandon Williams. 

Democrats nabbed one seat Monday in Oregon’s 6th Congressional District, which was called for Andrea Salinas.

The current tally stands at 217 Republicans and 204 Democrats. About a dozen races remain to be called.

The results are sure to be a relief to Republicans and a blow to Democrats’ slim hopes of a surprise victory in the House. Democrats had been eyeing the 1st District in Arizona all week as a pickup opportunity as the race remained tight, and they had hoped to keep the newly drawn 6th District, which includes much of what used to be the Democratically held 2nd District, out of GOP hands.

Oregon, on the other hand, saw Democrats claim a newly drawn seat as Salinas, who has served in the Oregon state House since 2017, defeated Republican businessman Mike Erickson. The 6th District sits southwest of Portland and was created following the 2020 census. 

In Arizona, Schweikert defeated Democrat Jevin Hodge to earn his seventh term in the House in a newly drawn 1st District, which includes Scottsdale and parts of Phoenix.

Schweikert, who was first elected to the House in 2010, faced a tougher reelection battle this campaign cycle after his district went from favoring former President Trump by 4 points to one President Biden would have won by 1 point in 2020.

Ciscomani, a former senior adviser to Arizona’s outgoing Republican governor, beat out former Arizona state Rep. Kirsten Engel (D) in the newly drawn 6th District that includes the edges of Tucson and parts of southeastern Arizona. 

Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (D-Ariz.), who did not run for reelection, currently represents most of the new district that was drawn more friendly to Republicans, and Ciscomani had received millions of dollars in funding from the House GOP’s campaign arm and other national Republican groups.

Updated at 11:40 p.m.