The Republican Party has secured a majority in the House of Representatives, multiple outlets across the spectrum are projecting.

Key Quotes: CNN’s article stated that the week-long delay in securing a majority “underscores the party’s underwhelming midterm election performance,” alluding to the much-discussed “red wave” that anticipated the Republicans would win a large majority in the midterms. This was echoed by an article in Fox News, which stated the “slim majority falls short of the ‘red tsunami’ that many pundits predicted.”

For Context: The news comes the day after former president Donald Trump announced his candidacy for the 2024 Republican Presidential nomination. The 118th U.S. Congress will first convene in January. There are eight house races still undecided. The expected speaker of the house is Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), who led the Republicans the last time they had a majority in the initial years of the Trump presidency, but a disappointing midterm performance has led some Republicans to call for new leadership. The Democratic Party retained control of the Senate, setting up a divided congress for the second half of the Biden Administration’s four-year term.

How the Media Covered It: Once the majority was secured, it was the top story on major political outlets across the spectrum. Across the spectrum, the news was contextualized as a win for Republicans, but far from the success they anticipated.