Republicans gain control of presidency, House and Senate
John Thune elected as Senate GOP leader
Senate Republicans elected Sen. John Thune of South Dakota to be their leader in the next Congress, replacing Mitch McConnell, who is stepping down after 18 years. Fox News Radio's Ryan Schmelz joins LiveNOW's Andrew Craft to discuss the latest updates after the election.
WASHINGTON - Republicans now have full control of the government, giving them their best shot yet to make big moves on immigration and tax cuts.
Republicans regained control of the Senate for the first time in four years, and key close races in the House were called Wednesday night to keep the GOP in control there as well.
According to The Hill, House Speaker Mike Johnson has been planning for full GOP control – he’s got a conservative economic agenda ready to move through the House, Senate and White House.
RELATED: House balance of power: GOP keeps majority
Republicans are expected to renew President-elect Donald Trump’s tax breaks that expire at the end of 2025. Trump also supports lowering the corporate tax rate.
But border security will likely be at the top of the list, observers say, and Trump’s plans to deport millions of undocumented migrants on Day 1 of his new term will likely be boosted by the support of both chambers.
Another area where Republicans could have a big impact is judicial appointments, NPR reports. A couple of current conservative Supreme Court justices are expected to retire if Trump wins. With a Republican Senate, Trump can keep a conservative majority on the Supreme Court and appoint more judges to the federal bench.
RELATED: Here’s the last time the GOP controlled Senate, House and presidency
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The one issue where Trump could clash with fellow Republicans is tariffs. According to NPR, not all Republicans support Trump’s call for aggressive global tariffs, which economists say would raise consumer prices in the U.S.
Trump has said he could take action on tariffs without Congress, NPR reports.
Meanwhile, the Senate will spend the first part of 2025 confirming Trump’s judicial and Cabinet nominees, and hundreds of others nominated for other political roles.
The Source
Information for this story was provided by the Associated Press, Ballotpedia, previous FOX TV Stations reporting, The Hill, and The Washington Post. Ballotpedia shares background on the seats up for election in the House and Senate in the 2024 election. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.