Republicans will retain House majority, CNN projects, completing GOP’s dominance of Washington

Republicans have secured their monopoly on power in Donald Trump’s new Washington, retaining their majority in the House of Representatives, CNN projected Wednesday, after picking up seats in California and Arizona and ushering in a dramatic new era of right-wing populist rule.

Republicans have secured their monopoly on power in Donald Trump’s new Washington, retaining their majority in the House of Representatives, CNN projected Wednesday, after picking up seats in California and Arizona and ushering in a dramatic new era of right-wing populist rule.

The GOP’s control of both chambers of Congress means that the president-elect will have a path to enact an agenda that could profoundly change America, including sweeping tax cuts, hardline immigration enforcement and a transformation of domestic and foreign policy.

Republican dominance of Capitol Hill is just one aspect of Trump’s formidable new power base. A president-elect who already believed that he had all-but-limitless power will be emboldened by last summer’s Supreme Court ruling offering substantial immunity to the commander in chief for official acts taken in office.

Trump may also have the chance in the next four years to replace older members of the court, potentially extending until the middle of the century the conservative majority he built in his first term.

And as Trump unveils his team of Cabinet members and top West Wing staff, made up largely of ultra loyalists, it’s already clear that the 47th president will face few of the restraints that experienced career officials tried to impose on some of his most outlandish schemes when he was the 45th president.

Trump’s team is promising an aggressive first 100-day agenda to enact as much of his “Make America Great Again” plan early next year after tapping into the public’s concern about high prices and undocumented migrants to help the GOP win the White House, the Senate and now the House.

Republicans flipped the Senate by defeating Democrats defending red states and, with one outstanding race yet to be projected, they control 52 seats. While the Senate filibuster means that 60 votes are needed to pass most major legislation, party leaders will be able to use the same budgetary devices that helped President Joe Biden pass some big-ticket items.