Republicans’ 218-213 House majority shrinks with special elections

Republicans are clinging to a razor-thin majority of 218-213 within the Home of Representatives.

And the Republican Get together’s margin will shrink even additional after a particular congressional election this weekend to fill the seat in a Democratic-dominated district that has been vacant for almost a yr.

That is as a result of the 2 candidates in Saturday’s runoff election in Texas’ 18th Congressional District are each Democrats.

Voters within the district, which is anchored by downtown Houston and surrounding areas, are heading to the polls to decide on a successor to fill the seat left vacant when Democratic Rep. Sylvester Turner handed away final March.

A former state lawmaker, Sylvester served two phrases as mayor of Houston earlier than successful election to Congress in 2024, succeeding the late Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee.

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Democratic Consultant Sylvester Turner of Texas died on March 5, 2025. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle through Getty Pictures)

Democrats Christian Menefee, former Harris County legal professional in Houston, and former Houston Metropolis Councilwoman Amanda Edwards are going through off within the particular election. They have been the highest two winners in a subject of sixteen candidates who confronted one another within the first elections in November.

Whereas Texas has redrawn its congressional maps for the 2026 midterm elections as a part of President Donald Trump’s redistricting battle with Republicans versus Democrats, the particular election will use the state’s present district strains.

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The winner of the particular election will give Democrats yet another Home member, inflicting much more complications for Republican leaders.

“They higher be right here,” Home Speaker Mike Johnson lately stated of his members. “I instructed everybody, and never jokingly, I stated no journey sports activities, do not take dangers, take your nutritional vitamins. Keep wholesome and be right here.”

Home Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., walks out of the chamber to talk to reporters after the ultimate vote to finish the longest authorities shutdown in historical past, on the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP Picture)

And Home Majority Whip Tom Emmer’s workplace confirmed it’s advising members that “past the circumstances of life and dying” they anticipate Republican lawmakers to be on Capitol Hill.

Three extra particular congressional elections are scheduled for this yr.

Eleven candidates are operating within the February 5 Democratic Get together major in New Jersey’s eleventh Congressional District.

The seat remained vacant after New Jersey Gov. Mike Sherrill resigned after successful the Backyard State’s gubernatorial election in November.

The winner of the Democratic major will face Randolph Mayor Joe Hathaway, the one Republican to file within the particular election, which will probably be held on April 16.

Then-Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill resigned from Congress in November after successful election as governor of New Jersey. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg through Getty Pictures)

The suburban district in northern New Jersey leans left, with Sherrill successful reelection in 2024 by 15 factors, the identical margin she had within the district throughout November’s gubernatorial contest.

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However then-Vice President Kamala Harris received the district by simply eight factors within the 2024 presidential election, giving the Republican Get together some hope of probably flipping the seat.

As many as 22 candidates, together with 17 Republicans, are competing in a particular election in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District within the race to succeed former Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. The MAGA agitator and former Trump Home ally resigned from Congress 4 weeks in the past, a yr earlier than her time period expired.

Republican Consultant Marjorie Taylor Greene resigned from Congress on January 5, 2026. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Name, Inc through Getty Pictures)

Beneath Georgia state legislation, all candidates will run on the identical poll. If no candidate receives greater than 50% of the votes, a second election will happen on April 7 between the highest two winners.

The district in northwest Georgia is solidly Republican: Greene received reelection in 2024 by almost 30 factors and Trump carried the district by 37 factors.

California’s Main Day for the 2026 elections is scheduled for June 2, and this yr may also see a major for the particular election within the state’s 1st Congressional District, within the race to fill a vacant seat following the latest surprising dying of Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa. The overall election will probably be held on August 4.

The district, in northeastern California, is solidly Republican.

Republican Consultant Doug LaMalfa of California died on January 6, 2026. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Name, Inc through Getty Pictures)

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Like Texas, California can also be altering its congressional maps as a part of the redistricting wars, however the particular election will probably be held beneath present district strains.

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The White Home and Republicans in Congress criticized Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s choice to not maintain a particular election to fill LaMalfa’s seat till August, six months after the late congressman’s dying.

However Democrats additionally complained that Republican Governor Greg Abbott of Texas didn’t schedule the particular election to fill Turner’s seat till eight months after the late lawmaker’s dying.

Fox Information’ Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this story.