Balance of power: Control of Congress at stake for Republicans, Democrats in 2024 election
FILE-President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address during a joint meeting of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol on March 07, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The race for control of Congress is with seats in the House and Senate likely to determine whether Republicans or Democrats have a majority this November.
Approximately 435 seats are up for election in the House and 34 seats are up for election in the Senate on November 5, 2024.
Heading into this year’s election, Republicans hold a majority in the House, while Democrats and independents who caucus with Democrats hold a majority in the U.S. Senate.
What happens if Republicans get power in the House and Senate?
If Republicans gained control of the House and Senate, party leaders would work to extend the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act — former President Donald Trump’s key legislation he passed during his first term in office — before it expires at the end of 2025, according to the Hill, a political news site.
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Republicans may also attempt to repeal or limit some or all the clean energy incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act passed by President Joe Biden.
The party could push for funding in a new border security initiative that may include completion of Trump’s signature border wall and possibly defunding parts of the government.
What happens if Democrats get power in the House and Senate?
With control of the House and Senate, Democrats will work to restore legal protections for abortion access that were eliminated by the Supreme Court in 2022.
The party will work to bypass the Senate filibuster to pass voting rights legislation if they maintain control of the Senate and win back the House in November, the Hill reported.
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Another priority for Democrats if they get power in Congress is curtailing the impact of the 2010 Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. FEC, which allowed corporations and outside groups to spend unlimited money on elections.
Democrats are supporting the Disclose Act, which would require companies spending money in elections, including super PACs and advocacy groups classified under section 501(c)4 of the tax code, to reveal donors who have given $10,000 or more during an election cycle, the Hill noted.
What happens if power remains divided?
If powers remain divided between Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate following the 2024 election, it could become more complicated to get things done in Congress because there are policy changes that require Congressional action in the government.
Although the House and Senate are equal in how they function, only the House can initiate tax and revenue-related legislation. And only the Senate can draft legislation related to presidential nominations and treaties. According to USA.gov, the House processes legislation through a majority vote, while the Senate does so through deliberation and debate prior to voting.
A split in the House and Senate could also affect the ability to pass key legislation and would make it challenging for lawmakers from both parties to agree on fiscal measures.
Moreover, if power remains divided in Congress, this will make it challenging for this year’s president-elect, whether it's Kamala Harris or Donald Trump, to advance their legislative agenda and appoint cabinet and staffing members to key positions in government.
What seats are up for grabs?
In the House, 435 seats will be up for election. Ballotpedia noted that all the chamber's six non-voting members are up for election as well.
According to Ballotpedia, 34 Senate seats are up for regular election in 2024—10 seats held by Republicans, 19 held by Democrats, and four held by independents who caucus with Democrats.
Two special elections are scheduled for November 5, 2024. Ballotpedia explains that one special election is being held to fill the last two years of the six-year term that Ben Sasse (R) was elected to in 2020.
The other special election is to fill the rest of the six-year term that Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) was elected to in 2018. Feinstein died on Sept. 29. 2023. The Senate seat Feinstein held is also up for regular election on November 5, 2024.