Democrats secure House with reduced majority

The Democratic Party secured control of the US House of Representatives but with a slimmer majority after winning at least 218 seats, the Associated Press reported. 

Democrats secured the majority after AP declared three winners late on Tuesday; incumbents Kim Schrier in Washington, Tom O'Halleran in Arizona and Jimmy Gomez in California.

The 435-member chamber will now be controlled by the Democratic Party for another two years, but with a slimmer margin.

The Democrats went into Election Day with a 232-197 House advantage, along with one independent and five open seats. This will be only the second time since 1995 that they will control the chamber for four consecutive years.

However, the Democrats fell short of their goal of taking a Senate majority and lost seats in the House of Representatives, making Republicans well positioned to block major legislative initiatives of President-elect Joe Biden.

Republicans held on to a seat in the US Senate on Tuesday after a close race in the state of North Carolina Republican Senator Thom Tillis was assured re-election after his Democratic opponent, Cal Cunningham, conceded the race.

Cunningham said in a statement that he had called Tillis to congratulate him even though complete results from the November 3 election have not yet been announced.

Republicans now hold 49 seats in the 100-seat Senate compared to the Democrats' 48.

All eyes are on a pair of runoff Senate elections set to take place in Georgia on January 5 likely to decide which party will control the legislative body. A third seat -- in Alaska -- remains undecided, but Republican Senator Dan Sullivan is ahead there for now.

In the case of a tie, incoming Vice President Kamala Harris would break it, according to Senate rules.

The new Congress convenes on Jan 3.