Democrats have flipped an additional eight House seats, strengthening their majority in the lower chamber as final results from the US midterm elections continue to come in. The party now leads Republicans 253 to 157, with 25 races still to be called.
Several closely watched contests remain undecided, including the final two US Senate races in Mississippi and Alaska. Democratic candidates are hoping to unseat Republican incumbents to expand their new majority in Congress, which currently stands at a 106-seat advantage.
Republican Losses and Wins
A number of Republican representatives have felt the impact of the wave that has swept their party out of power. However, the GOP held on to two House seats in the west, with congressman Mike Kennedy winning re-election in Utah and Amanda McKinney winning in Washington.
Senator Ted Cruz of Texas joined other Republicans in criticising the party's performance, saying the GOP were handed an "ass-kicking" in losing control of Congress. "It was not simply a bad 2006 midterm election, it was a Watergate-level repudiation," he said on his podcast.
Local and Justice Department Changes
In a major shake-up in local politics, Democratic socialist Nithya Raman was elected to serve as the mayor of Los Angeles, narrowly defeating incumbent Karen Bass. The progressive urban planner, who had served on LA's city council since 2020, secured the win amid growing dissatisfaction with the direction of the city.
Harmeet Dhillon, a key Trump ally, resigned from her position leading the justice department's Civil Rights division. Attorney general Todd Blanche said he accepted her notice, making Dhillon the first high-ranking justice department official to leave after the midterm elections. Democrats are expected to use their control of Congress to aggressively investigate executive agencies, including the justice department.
Senate Leadership and Market Impact
Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic senator-elect in Michigan, said the new majority in the upper chamber needed "action" from their leader. On the campaign trail, El-Sayed refused to back Senator Chuck Schumer, who currently serves as the minority leader. Speaking to CNN, El-Sayed reiterated that Senator Chris Van Hollen, the Maryland Democrat, would be an "amazing Senate majority leader", but did not completely rule out supporting Schumer.
The Nasdaq share index had its worst day in 19 months, slumping 5.5% on Thursday amid growing signs that the artificial intelligence industry will face tougher regulation because of the midterm results. In his first official action after the Republican wipeout, Donald Trump signed a proclamation that preserves the Oval Office and Cabinet Room as national monuments.
