Democrats are projected to win majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, according to Deutsche Welle’s election coverage on 4 November. Projections following Tuesday’s US midterm elections indicate that Republicans will lose their advantage in both chambers of Congress. Counting is still under way, however, and media projections are not officially certified results.
According to Associated Press projections cited by DW, Democrats have won 220 seats in the House of Representatives, passing the 218-seat threshold needed for a majority. The final distribution of seats could still change as the remaining races are decided.
DW also reports a projected Democratic majority in the Senate. Separately, the BBC, citing a projection by its US partner CBS, reported that Democratic candidate Annie Andrews was on course to win in South Carolina. That projection concerns an individual Senate seat; it does not independently confirm the overall balance of power in the chamber.
Jeffries sets out priorities, but Speaker vote still to come
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries has pledged action on access to healthcare and tackling corruption. Becoming Speaker — the House’s presiding officer — is not an automatic consequence of the election result, however. As DW notes, he would still need to be elected by the new House in January.
A projected election majority also does not mean an immediate transfer of control over congressional business. The results determine the balance of power for the new congressional term, rather than changing the leadership of both chambers on election night.
The elections on 3 November therefore decide not only individual seats but also which party will hold the political advantage in Congress. At this stage, the key distinction remains between the Democrats’ projected majorities and the final, certified allocation of seats.
