Democrats Win US House in Midterms; Jeffries Poised to Become Speaker

Democrats won control of the US House of Representatives in Tuesday's midterm elections, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York is on track to become speaker in the new Congress. NBC News, CBS News and Decision Desk HQ projected the House result. The Washington Examiner reported that Democrats were also headed to a Senate majority, which would give them both chambers for the last two years of President Donald Trump's term. Before the vote Republicans held 219 House seats and Democrats 214. Jeffries declared victory before midnight. He said voters had had enough of extremism and corruption and that House Democrats would address high costs once in office in January. He also vowed to hold accountable those who brought unprecedented corruption, and called the result the start of a great American comeback. Jeffries is poised to be the first Black House speaker. As of midnight, no incumbent had lost reelection, the Examiner reported. Polls showed voters trusted Democrats more on the economy and corruption. An October Pew survey found 65% disapproved of Trump's handling of the Iran war and 33% approved, and AAA put diesel at $6.29 a gallon and regular gas at $4.14.

The right-leaning Daily Caller leads with voters punishing Republicans for inflation and the Iran war. It leans on Pew and AAA figures and notes the GOP's redrawn maps and its thin majority. The Washington Examiner focuses on the night itself: Jeffries being introduced as "Speaker Jeffries," the breadth of the wins, and his remarks. It also mentions earlier questions about his cushion given socialist-aligned incoming candidates. The left-leaning Atlantic, whose excerpt is all that is available, credits Jeffries with steering Democrats toward affordability and says Trump made the race about himself. All three agree on the Democratic win and on cost and corruption as themes. They differ on cause: Republican performance on the war and prices versus Democratic strategy and Trump's own conduct. France 24 and Al Jazeera add Jeffries' accountability pledge and the prospect of a first Black speaker.