By Ashlyn Beck | News Editor
Three weeks ago, Democrats were hopeful to gain a majority in the House of Representatives following Nov. 5. Now, with an election that seems to be seeing nothing but red, it’s unlikely that the Democrats will see a victory.
Despite the hope of the Democratic Party, the Republican Party gained a lead in the House Tuesday night. Though votes are still being counted, the GOP had a 15-point lead as of Wednesday night. The GOP is holding 206 seats to the Democratic Party’s 191.
All 435 House seats were open in the 2024 election and if Democrats turn a few red states, there’s still hope for a majority.
As for Texas, Republican incumbent Pete Sessions was declared the victor for U.S. House District 17 over Mark Lorenzen. The final race was won with 66.44% of voters to Lorenzen’s 33.6%, according to the Texas Tribune.
Victorious, Sessions took the stage at The Backyard Bar Stage & Grill Tuesday night to celebrate with the McLennan County GOP. Afterward, Sessions spoke over cheers of celebration from a Republican-dominated election. He spoke on his win and plans for his third consecutive term as District 17 Congressional representative.
“The Central Texas area really produces victories for those who are conservative, those who speak about the ground, the dirt, the people [and those] who understand agriculture,” Sessions said. “People who, deep down, are in support of the American dream.”
Sessions presented himself as a protector of the working class. For him, the important issues are taxes and border security.
“My job in congress is to make sure that we keep taxes low, that the government works effectively and that we work together to keep the government out of lives and where people can make more decisions themselves,” Sessions said. “They call that freedom.”
Trump’s victory is essential to working to solve the border problem, according to Sessions. While President Biden has welcomed illegal immigrants into the country, Trump will bring law enforcement back to the border to ensure that legal immigrants alone are admitted.
“President Trump followed the law,” Sessions said. “He made sure that people who weren’t confronted who came to our border were met by law enforcement — federal law enforcement that knew that they could not just repel them, but they had the law on their side.”
Sessions’ Democratic challenger Mark Lorenzen didn’t share his happiness for Trump’s success. For Lorenzen, a blue presidency wasn’t the only thing at stake — democracy itself was.
“I think that we are at risk of losing what is a democracy of the people, by the people [and] for the people,” Lorenzen said.
Contrary to Sessions’ ideals regarding taxes and borders, Lorenzen’s goals were to maintain the separation of Church and State and women’s rights to autonomy and privacy. While Sessions strived for lower taxes, Lorenzen opted to raise the minimum wage. Stopping just short of calling Sessions a puppet for Trump’s agenda, his disappointment was clear.
“I can do a better job,” Lorenzen said. “I think my opponent is just going to do whatever Donald Trump says to do.”
But Sessions’ victorious attitude didn’t waver. Promising to fight for the people of Central Texas, Sessions closed the win by promising loyalty to those he represents.
“I’m loyal to people. I’m an Eagle Scout and I believe in leaving my campsite better than I found it. That means that God gave us a lot of things, but loyalty to God and loyalty to other people, to the state of Texas and to the United States of America is the best I can do.”
As far as other Texas battleground districts go, Districts 15, 28 and 34 voters stuck with what they knew. All three incumbents were reelected, and — contrary to the federal races — Democrats defeated Republican runners in two of the three battleground districts. Though Republican incumbent Monica De La Cruz successfully fended off Democratic challenger Michelle Vallejo, Democratic incumbents Henry Cuellar and Vincente Gonzalez kept their seats in nail-biting races for Districts 28 and 34, respectively.
Trump took the stage last night in Palm Beach, Fla., as the parties continued to vie for the House majority. Looking out into a sea of red MAGA hats and speaking through “USA” chants, Trump accepted victory.
“The number of victories in the Senate was absolutely incredible,” PBS quoted Trump. “It also looks like we’ll keep control of the House of Representatives.”
