Who will control the U.S. House and Senate in 2025?

by APM RESEARCH LAB STAFF | Nov. 4, 2024 | last updated Dec. 4, 2024

Note: This article will be updated as election results come in.

The 2024 election brought about sweeping changes to the federal government, with Republicans gaining a three-seat majority in the U.S. Senate and maintaining their control of the U.S. House of Representatives, in addition to gaining control of the White House.

In addition to the president’s office, 34 U.S. Senate seats and all 435 U.S. House seats were on the ballot this year. Going into the election the general consensus among election forecasters (for example 538, The Economist and Cook Political Report) was that Republicans had a good chance of flipping control of the Senate, but that the presidency and the House were too close to call.

Indeed, as of just after midnight on the night of the election, the AP called the 51st seat in the Senate for the Republicans, giving them majority control. The presidency was called for Republican Donald Trump shortly thereafter. Control of the U.S. was not determined until late in the evening of Nov. 13 — over a week after election day. When all of the newly-elected office holders are sworn in early next year, Republicans will have a trifecta across the two chambers and the president’s office for the first time since President-elect Trump first took office in 2017.

U.S. Senate

The 34 seats that were up for election this year included 19 held by Democrats, four held by Democratic-leaning independents, and 11 held by Republicans. According to Ballotpedia, twenty-six of the races include incumbents who were trying to hold on to their seats, and eight are open seats due to incumbents retiring or moving on to other offices.

Voters have transferred control of the Senate to Republicans, by a 53 to 47 seat majority. Senate Republicans elected Sen. John Thune of South Dakota as their in-coming majority leader.

Note: Click here for graphic of election outcomes 2000-2022.

Prior to the election, there were more Republicans (49) than Democrats (47) in the U.S. Senate. But Democrats held majority control since three independent senators — Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Angus King of Maine and Joe Manchin of West Virginia — caucused with the Democrats. A fourth independent, out-going Sen. Krysten Sinema, was elected as a Democrat before breaking away in late 2022.

Prior to the election Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer was the majority leader and Sen. Mitch McConnell was the Republican leader.

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U.S. House of Representatives

On the evening of Nov. 13 incumbent Juan Ciscomani of Arizona was declared the winner of a 218th Republican seat, giving Republicans majority control of the chamber. Earlier that day Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana won his party’s nomination to remain House Speaker. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries was also reelected as the Democratic leader in the House.

When the last uncalled seat, California’s 13th District, was called for Democrat Adam Gray on the night of Dec. 3, the composition of the U.S. House as a result of the 2024 election was set: 220 Republicans and 215 Democrats.

Note: Click here for a graphic of U.S. House election outcomes 2000-2022.

As is the case every two years, all 435 House seats were on the ballot this year. Heading into the election Republicans had majority control of the U.S. House, holding 220 of the body’s 435 seats. Democrats held 212 seats and three seats were vacant. Incumbents were running to retain their seats in most House districts, but Ballotpedia listed 49 seats as open elections meaning that an incumbent was not seeking reelection.

Prior to the 2022 election, the House was controlled by Democrats, who held an eight-seat margin among the 433 filled seats (two seats were vacant).

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