Democrats went into Tuesday favored to expand their majority in the House. That isn’t happening—in fact, Republicans are likely to make some gains, while still falling short of a majority.
Republicans retook several of the seats Democrats had flipped in 2018. In Florida, Republican gains with Latino voters spelled doom for first-term Democratic Reps. Donna Shalala and Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. Rep. Max Rose lost the Trump-supporting New York district he won in 2018. Rep. Abby Finkenauer in Iowa, Rep. Kendra Horn in Oklahoma, Rep. Xochitl Torres Small in New Mexico, and Rep. Joe Cunningham in South Carolina all lost their races.
In Minnesota, longtime Rep. Collin Peterson, who had held on in an increasingly difficult district, lost his race.
Democrats also failed to flip many key targets, including several in Texas.
To cap it all off, Democratic Congressional Committee Chair Cheri Bustos, who, before polls closed on Tuesday, said, “We’re well positioned to have a good night,” is trailing in her own reelection.