Democrats race to reclaim House as polls close in key states

Polls have closed in Kentucky, Indiana, Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, and Vermont as voters cast ballots for all 435 House seats. The current chamber consists of 219 Republicans, including one independent who caucuses with the party, and 214 Democrats, with two vacancies remaining unfilled.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters in Washington, D.C., that Democrats are on the verge of taking back control of the House. He said the party is working hard to reach the 218 seats needed for a majority and to win additional seats on top of that. Jeffries noted that vote numbers were strong in blue states, swing states, and red states, but he declined to predict a specific seat count.

House Speaker Mike Johnson offered a counterpoint, claiming the polls are wrong. He stated that Republican support is being underestimated because few voters pick up the phone to talk to pollsters. Johnson said he has observed strong support in swing districts across blue states during his travels around the country.

President Trump is on track for the lowest approval rating for a president in a midterm cycle, according to early exit polls. His current rating stands at 38%, a figure lower than during his first term and lower than George W. Bush's rating in 2006. Roughly six in 10 voters say Trump is a factor in their House vote, a sentiment driven largely by Democrats motivated by opposition to him.

For Republican voters, the president is less central to their decision than it was in 2018. In that year, most Republican voters cited support for Trump as their primary motivation. Today, that figure is lower, indicating a shift in how the party's base views the incumbent administration.

Technical issues in New York's Westchester County have complicated the count in the competitive 17th District. The New York State Board of Elections reported that ballot scanners malfunctioned due to a late programming change in one municipality. Machines in other parts of the county used original programming and could not recognize the updated ballots.

Voting in Westchester County continues through emergency ballot procedures. Completed ballots are being stored under bipartisan oversight and will be scanned and counted according to established rules. The board confirmed that every valid vote will be counted. Representative Mike Lawler, who is running against Democrat Cait Conley in that district, said both parties are working together to resolve the issue.

Under the new 2026 boundaries, President Trump won 22 districts in 2024 that are currently represented by Democrats. These include districts in Texas, Florida, and Ohio. Conversely, Kamala Harris won eight GOP-held districts in 2024, including seats in California, New York, and Pennsylvania. The previous boundaries had fewer ticket-splitting districts.

Republicans attempted to maintain their majority through mid-decade redistricting in seven states. These moves aimed to create an advantage in 15 additional districts. California was the only state where Democrats successfully redrew congressional maps, making five seats less favorable to the Republican Party.

Lawmakers were last in Washington for votes on September 16, leaving town more than six weeks before Election Day. Speaker Johnson sent members on recess early on several occasions. The 119th Congress was marked by government shutdowns, misconduct scandals, and internal party divisions that often stalled the Republican agenda.