Johnson optimistic GOP will hold House majority, but thinner margin likely

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is optimistic that the GOP will hold the House majority it won in the 2022 midterms but it is likely to be by a thinner margin as more key competitive races are being called. If he remains speaker, Johnson will be working with a GOP Senate to pass the agenda of President-elect Trump.

“I look forward to working with President Trump and a Republican Senate to deliver as Speaker of the House,” said Johnson, who aligned with Trump before the election, meeting with him in Florida and speaking recently at his rally at Madison Square Garden.

The current makeup of the House is 220 Republicans, 212 Democrats and 3 vacancies. 

California

The outcome of 6 key California House races have not yet been determined. Those races, which haven't been called, are in districts 13, 22, 27, 41, 45 and 47. 

Republicans were leading in all six of the most competitive districts in California, according to CalMatters.org, but the final tally may be several days off.

New York

So far, the Democrats have been able to flip three GOP seats in New York.

"Congrats @JoshRileyUE on a critically-important victory for the People’s House. Onward," wrote House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., on X.

Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., won a full two-year term in New York's third district. Suozzi previously won the special election for the seat in February after former Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., was ousted from the House.

Five closely-watched competitive House districts are currently held by first-term Republicans, including Long Island districts one and four, Hudson Valley districts 17, and 19 as well as the 22nd congressional district in Syracuse.

Districts three and 18 are represented by Democrats who were able to hold their seats.

The first district remains Republican with Rep. Nicholas LaLota's victory and Rep. Michael Lawler was also able to hold onto his seat in the 17th district.

So far, Democrats flipped the 22nd district race with John Mannion's victory as well as Laura Gillen in the fourth district.

Josh Riley defeated incumbent Republican Rep. Marc Molinaro in the 19th district.

"Keep the same team"

Johnson predicted that the GOP will keep control of the House and that he would be elected as speaker again.

"So if we're going to ... run those plays and execute them with precision, you got to keep the quarterback on the field and keep the same team," Johnson told Axios as election results came in on Tuesday.

The House GOP leadership might remain unchanged, as Johnson suggested, with the exception of Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., who was on former President Trump's shortlist as a potential running mate in 2024 and could very well end up somewhere in the Trump administration.

Behind the scenes, House GOP campaign aides also reportedly confident the GOP will stay in control of the chamber.

“We’re going to hold the House,” a senior GOP campaign official said on Wednesday, according to CNN. “The question is about what the size of the majority is right now.”