Democrats Win Back Control of House, Republicans Will Hold Senate
WASHINGTON — Democrats are projected to win back control of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, with voters sending a message that they want a check on Donald Trump’s presidency.
The dynamics in Washington will change considerably with the blue tide, as Democrats will have subpoena power. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) is poised to become chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, which has been investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Republicans have plenty of reason to celebrate, though. They will retain control of the Senate and are likely to gain seats, and also won governorships in Florida and Ohio.
The Democratic victory also means the potential return of Nancy Pelosi to the speakership, a post she held until the party lost a majority in 2010.
“Thanks to you, tomorrow will be a new day in America,” Pelosi said at a victory event in Washington, adding that the election was about restoring “checks and balances” to government.
She said that the Democratic House will be led with “transparency and openness.”
The news was a sigh of relief for progressives and a number of so-called never-Trump conservatives, including such well-known figures as Steve Schmidt and Max Boot, who urged voters to cast their ballots for Democrats to curb Democratic excesses.
Pelosi’s return to the speakership is likely but not assured, as some of the House candidates running in Trump-won districts tried to distance themselves from her leadership.
The expectation is that Democrats will bring a new level of oversight and investigation of the Trump administration, but many of the candidates ran on issues like healthcare and immigration.
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