U.S. House control hinges on tight races after Democrats take Senate - Reuters

WASHINGTON, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Control of the U.S. House of Representatives hinged connected Monday connected respective choky races that could unafraid a bulk for Republicans pursuing midterm elections that saw President Joe Biden's Democrats bushed expectations and clasp the Senate.

Republicans were person to taking the House, having won 211 seats compared to Democrats' 206, with 218 needed for a majority. But the last result mightiness not beryllium known for days arsenic officials proceed counting ballots astir a week aft Americans went to the polls.

After clinching the Senate implicit the play and dispelling Republican hopes for a "red wave" of gains, Democrats portrayed their show arsenic vindication of their docket and a rebuke of Republican efforts to undermine the validity of predetermination results.

Other high-profile uncalled races see the Arizona politician contest, successful which Republican Kari Lake, who promoted erstwhile President Donald Trump's baseless 2020 predetermination fraud claims, was trailing her Democratic opponent.

There are inactive immoderate 18 outstanding House races, including 13 considered intimately competitive, according to a Reuters compilation of the starring nonpartisan forecasters. Ten of the remaining contests were successful liberal-leaning California.

A Republican triumph successful the House would acceptable the signifier for 2 years of divided authorities portion giving Biden's opponents the powerfulness to bounds his governmental docket and motorboat perchance damaging probes into his medication and family.

Jim Banks, a Republican congressman from Indiana, said helium expects his enactment to triumph a slim bulk successful the 435-seat enclosure and service arsenic "the past enactment of defence to artifact the Biden agenda," portion launching probes into the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the root of COVID and pandemic lockdowns.

"That has to beryllium a focal constituent of each azygous committee successful the Congress, particularly successful the House nether Republican control," Banks told Fox News connected Sunday.

The Democratic talker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, said connected Sunday she would not marque immoderate announcements astir whether she planned to stay successful enactment until aft power of the enclosure was decided.

There had been speculation Pelosi would resign if Democrats mislaid their majority, particularly aft her hubby was attacked by an intruder astatine their San Francisco location past month.

"It's precise close," Pelosi, 82, told ABC News connected Sunday of the House race. "We haven't fixed up."

GEORGIA RUN-OFF, ARIZONA GOVERNOR RACE

Democrats, having secured Senate power with a triumph by Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto connected Saturday, are shifting absorption to a Georgia run-off contention that could fortify their manus successful Congress.

A Democratic triumph successful the Dec. 6 run-off betwixt Senator Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker would springiness the enactment outright bulk control, bolstering its sway implicit committees, bills, and judicial picks.

The Nevada triumph enactment Democrats successful complaint of a 50-50 Senate, with Vice President Kamala Harris holding the tie-breaking vote.

Even if Republicans triumph a constrictive bulk successful the House, Democrats' show suggests they had occurrence successful portraying their opponents arsenic extremists, pointing successful portion to the Supreme Court's determination to destruct a nationwide close to termination pursuing blimpish appointments to the bench.

But the results person besides person led to accrued scrutiny connected Trump, who utilized his popularity among hard-right conservatives to power the candidates Republicans nominated for congressional, gubernatorial and section races.

A Republican nonaccomplishment successful Georgia could further dampen Trump's popularity arsenic advisers accidental helium considers announcing this week a 3rd tally for the presidency successful 2024. He has been blamed for boosting candidates incapable to entreaty to a wide capable audience.

One campaigner Trump has staunchly backed is Kari Lake, who is trailing Democrat Katie Hobbs successful the contention for Arizona politician by 1.1 percent points with an estimated 93% of votes counted, according to Edison Research.

The predetermination results appeared to gully introspection from apical Republican lawmakers. Lindsey Graham, a seasoned Republican senator, said planned Senate Republican enactment elections should beryllium postponed until aft the Georgia race.

"All Republicans should beryllium focused connected winning successful Georgia and trying to recognize the midterm elections earlier Senate enactment elections oregon moving connected to the 2024 statesmanlike race," Graham wrote connected Twitter.

Writing by Rami Ayyub; editing by Lincoln Feast and Toby Chopra

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