Democrats flip House and Senate with a nationwide sweep

On Tuesday night, Democrats reclaimed control of Congress, gaining seven Senate seats and surpassing the 218-seat threshold to take the House of Representatives majority.

“It’s a pretty beautiful reflection of the power that our Constitution and American representative democracy holds,” said USD junior and political science major Emmett Shinn.

Democrats held onto battleground Senate seats in Georgia and Michigan, flipping seats in Iowa, Maine, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas and South Carolina.

USD senior Catherine Wilkowske said she is optimistic Democrats will make progress on voters’ top concerns.

“There is hope in drug pricing affordability, daily living cost, initiating investigations in political corruption, tackling the housing crisis and so many more … necessary reforms,” Wilkowske wrote.

Wednesday morning, the Associated Press reported that House Speaker Mike Johnson won’t seek reelection. Current House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) is expected to become the first Black House speaker.

For the first time in U.S. history, more than 100 women will serve in the House of Representatives at the same time. Other historic victories include Xavier Becerra, California’s first Latino governor; Deb Haaland, New Mexico’s first Native American woman governor; and Amy Acton, Ohio’s first elected woman governor.

“Flipping both the House and the Senate blue was already such a breath of fresh air, but Georgia electing the first Black woman for governor, New Hampshire voting the first openly gay man to Senate, and Michigan voting in the first Muslim senator was so amazing to see,” USD senior Leah Tibaldi wrote. “As a Democrat things have been dark in the past few years and last night was full of genuine hope for so many Americans which is beautiful to see.”

As of 5 p.m. PST on Wednesday, 44 Democrats hold House seats in California, two Republicans — in Districts 5 and 20 — and six district races were uncalled for. Democrats Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff hold California’s two Senate seats, and neither is up for reelection.