Democrats win House majority, setting up clash with Trump

Democrats have won control of the House of Representatives after four years in the minority, giving them the power to investigate President Donald Trump’s administration and challenge his agenda during the final two years of his term.

NBC News projects Democrats will win approximately 248 seats, well above the 218 needed for a majority, though its estimate could change by a few seats as counting continues. CBS News also projects a Democratic majority but says its final size remains unclear. NBC News has not projected a winner in the Senate.

“America is back,” House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said before midnight. “Today begins the great American comeback.” He called it a “change election” and said Democrats understood that they needed to deliver “dramatic change.”

Democrats needed a net gain of three seats to take the chamber. NBC News reported that they defeated Republican incumbents in three Pennsylvania districts: Bob Brooks beat Ryan Mackenzie, Paige Cognetti defeated Rob Bresnahan, and Janelle Stelson ousted Scott Perry. Former Rep. Elaine Luria regained a Virginia seat from Jen Kiggans, while Manny Rutinel defeated Gabe Evans in Colorado. In North Carolina, Jamie Ager beat Jennifer Balkcom in a district Trump carried in 2024 by more than nine percentage points.

The cost of living was central to Democrats’ campaign. Both CBS News and NBC News linked voters’ economic concerns to higher prices and Trump’s tariffs. The war with Iran and the administration’s immigration policies also featured in the campaign. Republicans cast the election as a choice between “common sense” and “crazy,” pointing to victories by democratic socialist candidates, CBS News reported.

When the new Congress convenes Jan. 3, Democrats will control House committees and gain subpoena power. They are preparing inquiries into Trump’s administration, his family’s business dealings, immigration enforcement and the Jeffrey Epstein files. CBS News reported that potential targets also include Trump’s pardons and construction projects in Washington. The demands for records and testimony could lead to court fights.

Rep. Robert Garcia of California, who is poised to lead the Oversight Committee, told NBC News his panel would examine “Trump family corruption,” including cryptocurrency ventures that the network said have earned Trump more than $1 billion. Garcia also cited alleged abuses by immigration authorities and corporate corruption.

Jeffries said before the election that Democrats would “follow the facts, apply the law, be guided by the Constitution and let the chips fall where they may.” On whether the House might impeach Trump for a third time, he said Democrats “haven’t ruled anything in and we haven’t ruled anything out.”

Jeffries has outlined plans to reverse Medicaid cuts, extend expired Affordable Care Act premium tax credits, curb Trump’s tariff authority and end the Iran war. The House’s spending power could also give Democrats leverage over administration priorities.

The election follows a fight over congressional maps. Republicans redrew districts in several states to improve their prospects, while Democrats countered with a new map in California. CBS News reported that Republican changes produced 15 additional favorable seats across seven states but did little to preserve the party’s majority.

Jeffries is expected to become the first Black House speaker, NBC News reported. His leadership could face tests within his own party: CBS News reported that several incoming democratic socialists have not committed to supporting him for the post.