Democrats’ Path To A House Takeover Narrows By The Day

The party needs to flip six of eight GOP-held swing seats that have yet to be called.

Democrats’ path to retake control of the House of Representatives got slimmer as more races were called on Wednesday and Thursday.

The party needs a net gain of four seats in order to win back the majority in Congress’ lower chamber.

Thus far, Democrats have flipped five Republican-held seats: New York’s 4th, 19th, and 22nd congressional districts, as well as Alabama’s 2nd and Louisiana’s 6th. The latter two pickups were the product of court-ordered redistricting that created new, majority-Black seats.

But at least three of those pickups have been offset by defeats elsewhere. Democrats have lost control of Pennsylvania’s 7th and 8th congressional districts, and Michigan’s 7th. Democrats are also likely to lose a seat in Alaska, where Rep. Mary Peltola (D) trailed Republican Nick Begich by four points with roughly 75% of the vote counted.

It is still possible for Democrats to obtain the 218 seats they need to control the House, but they’ll need to flip at least six of eight GOP-held swing seats in California, Arizona, and Oregon that have yet to be called.