Updated 10:42 p.m..
WASHINGTON — Democrats are on track to win control of the U.S. House, the Scioto Valley Guardian projects, with the party positioned to clear the 218 seats needed for a majority as Tuesday’s returns continued to arrive.
The projection reflects the Guardian’s analysis of unofficial returns, not a final seat count. According to unofficial results, 190 of the House’s 436 races had been decided by late Tuesday, with Democrats winning 122 and Republicans winning 68.
In the 246 races not yet decided, Democrats were leading in 76 and Republicans in 85. The Guardian’s publisher made the projection at 10:05 p.m., concluding that Democrats will reach 218 seats once the remaining vote is counted.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat from New York, won reelection in his Brooklyn-area district Tuesday and is positioned to be elected speaker when the new Congress convenes in January. He would be the first Black speaker of the House.
Democrats have flipped four Republican-held seats so far, while Republicans have not flipped a Democratic seat, based on the Guardian’s analysis of unofficial returns. Democrat Zach Dembo won Kentucky’s 6th District over Republican Ralph Alvarado, 52.7% to 43.3%, and Democrat Rebecca Bennett defeated Republican Rep. Thomas Kean in New Jersey’s 7th District, 59.3% to 39.2%.
Democrat Jamie Ager unseated Republican Jennifer Balkcom in North Carolina’s 11th District, 56.8% to 41.6%, and Democrat Bob Brooks defeated Republican Rep. Ryan Mackenzie in Pennsylvania’s 7th District, 56.8% to 43.2%.
The closest uncalled race in the country was Tennessee’s 9th District, where Democrat Justin Pearson and Republican Brent Taylor were both at 49.1% with 75% of the vote counted. In Virginia’s 5th District, Republican Rep. John McGuire led Democrat Tom Perriello, 49.3% to 49.1%, with 94% counted. Florida’s 9th District also remained too close to call, with Democratic Rep. Darren Soto ahead of Republican Dan Green, 50.2% to 49.8%.
Several Republican incumbents were trailing in uncalled races, including Virginia’s 2nd District, where Democrat Elaine Luria led Rep. Jen Kiggans, 51.4% to 46.3%, and Indiana’s 5th District, where Democrat J.D. Ford led Rep. Victoria Spartz, 51.7% to 48.3%. Republican Anthony Constantino led Democrat Blake Gendebien, 50.1% to 49.7%, in New York’s 21st District, and Republican Paul LePage led Democrat Matthew Dunlap, 53.9% to 46.0%, in Maine’s 2nd District.
Other races separated by two points or less included Florida’s 27th District, where Republican Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar led Democrat Eliott Rodriguez, 50.3% to 49.7%; Arizona’s 2nd District, where Democrat Jonathan Nez led Republican Rep. Eli Crane, 49.5% to 49.0%; and Wisconsin’s 1st District, where Democrat Mitchell Berman led Republican Rep. Bryan Steil, 50.5% to 49.5%.
Outstanding returns remained in Alaska, California, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Washington, according to unofficial results.
In Ohio, unofficial results from the Ohio Secretary of State showed Democrats Greg Landsman, Joyce Beatty, Shontel Brown and Emilia Sykes winning reelection in the 1st, 3rd, 11th and 13th districts. Republicans David Taylor, Jim Jordan, Bob Latta, Michael Rulli, Troy Balderson and David Joyce won in the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 12th and 14th districts.
Five Ohio districts remained too close to call. Democrat Brian Poindexter led Republican Rep. Max Miller, 53.9% to 46.1%, in the 7th District, and Republican Derek Merrin led longtime Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur, 59.6% to 40.4%, in the 9th District. Democrat Kristina Knickerbocker led Republican Rep. Mike Turner, 49.5% to 47.5%, in the 10th District, Democrat Don Leonard led Republican Rep. Mike Carey, 51.8% to 45.4%, in the 15th District, and Republican Rep. Warren Davidson led Democrat Vanessa Enoch, 53.9% to 46.1%, in the 8th District.
Live, county-by-county results can be found at https://sciotovalleyguardian.com/national-election-results-2026/.
Results are unofficial until certified by the Ohio Secretary of State. Source: Ohio Secretary of State election night reporting. See the live map: https://sciotovalleyguardian.com/election-results-2026/
