Final House race decided one month after Election Day
Washington — CBS News projected on Dec. 4 that Democrat Adam Gray will win California's 13th Congressional District, a flip for Democrats in the last race that had remained undecided one month after Election Day.
Republicans will ultimately take control of the House by a margin of 220 to 215 — meaning Democrats picked up one seat.
With President-elect Donald Trump's victory over Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential race and Republicans poised to control 53 seats in the Senate, the GOP is heading toward full control in Washington come January.
Congress returned to Washington on Nov. 12 for the first time since the election, and Republicans voted to keep House Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise in their positions atop the GOP conference. But Trump's selection of conference chair Rep. Elise Stefanik for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations created an open seat in party leadership. Michigan Rep. Lisa McClain was chosen to succeed Stefanik as chair of the House Republican Conference.
The Republicans' majority shrank by at least one member as Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida resigned his seat after Trump said he would nominate Gaetz for attorney general. But Gaetz withdrew his nomination amid an investigation by the House Ethics Committee into allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use. The former congressman has denied wrongdoing. Gaetz said he does not intend to be sworn in for the next Congress, which begins in January, and a special election to fill his seat is set for April 1.
Republicans are also poised to lose Stefanik and Florida Rep. Michael Waltz, tapped for Trump's national security adviser, when they join Trump's administration for their expected roles early next year. Their likely resignations will create two more open seats for the GOP amid an already slim House majority expected in the 119th Congress.
Here are the last House races to be decided:
California's 13th Congressional District
California election officials said every ballot had been counted, the Associated Press reported. Republican Rep. John Duarte ultimately came up fewer than 200 votes short to Gray.
The two faced off in 2022, when Gray lost by fewer than 600 votes.
Iowa's 1st Congressional District
Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks won the race in Iowa's 1st Congressional District, CBS News projected on Nov. 28. With 99% of the vote tallied, Miller-Meeks prevailed over Democrat Christina Bohannan by 788 votes. A district-wide recount concluded Wednesday with Miller-Meeks remaining on top.
"I am deeply honored to have the recount completed and once again secure reelection so I can continue serving the hardworking people of southeast Iowa," Miller-Meeks said in a statement, according to the Des Moines Register. "I am now looking forward to getting back to work in Washington to lower prices at the gas pump, grocery store and on prescription drugs, secure the border and help farmers."
The battle between Miller-Meeks and Bohannan was a rematch of the 2022 race. With Miller-Meeks' victory, all four of Iowa's representatives in Congress are Republicans.
California's 45th Congressional District
Democrat Derek Tran has defeated Republican incumbent Rep. Michelle Steel, CBS News projects, wresting control of the Orange County House seat from the GOP in a contest that was among the most closely watched in the country. Steel is in her second term in the House and is one of the first Korean-American women to serve in Congress.
Steel released a statement on Nov. 27 afternoon conceding the race, noting that when she was elected, she "embarked on a mission to assist First Generation Americans, stand up to our adversaries, and defend human rights."
Tran, a small business owner and the son of Vietnamese refugees, declared victory in a statement posted to his website, saying his win was "a testament to the spirit and resilience of our community."
Alaska at-large
Republican Nick Begich defeated incumbent Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola, CBS News projects. Begich held a lead of 48.4 to 46.4 percentage points, a margin of a little more than 6,700 votes, with 99% of the estimated vote total reported.
Begich's projected win will mark a GOP pick-up in the House. Alaska uses ranked-choice voting, so voters selected multiple candidates and ranked them in order of preference.
In ranked-choice voting, unless a candidate earns more than 50% of the first-choice vote, the one with the fewest first-choice votes is eliminated, and voters' second picks are reallocated to the remaining candidates. In the third round, the candidate who receives the next fewest votes is eliminated and their votes reallocated to the remaining contenders. The process continues until a candidate reaches 50%.
Begich is the son of a prominent liberal family. Peltola was the first Alaska Native elected to Congress and also the first Democrat to represent the state in the House since 1972.
Begich's grandfather, Nick Begich Sr., had been the last Democrat to win the seat prior to Peltola.
California's 21st Congressional District
Democratic Rep. Jim Costa won his reelection bid against Republican Michael Maher, CBS News projects.
Ohio's 9th Congressional District
Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur will hold onto her seat in the race against Republican challenger Derek Merrin, CBS News projects. Kaptur is the longest-serving woman in Congress.
Kaptur has been in Congress since 1983. Her district was redrawn after the 2020 Census, making it more competitive.
Maine's 2nd Congressional District
Democratic Rep. Jared Golden won his reelection bid against Republican Austin Theriault in a district that supported Trump in 2016 and 2020, CBS News projected. Maine, like Alaska, uses ranked-choice voting, and because neither candidate secured at least 50% of the vote, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows announced it would be decided by a ranked-choice runoff.
California's 41st Congressional District
Rep. Ken Calvert won his reelection bid against Democrat Will Rollins, a former federal prosecutor, in California's 41st District, keeping the seat in Republican hands, CBS News projected. Calvert has served in the House for more than 30 years.
California's 47th Congressional District
Democratic Rep. Katie Porter currently holds this seat, but her unsuccessful bid for the Senate set up a race between Democrat David Min and Republican Scott Baugh to succeed her. CBS News projects Min will win the election, keeping the seat in Democrats' hands.
Arizona's 6th Congressional District
Incumbent Rep. Juan Ciscomani, a Republican, will hold onto his seat, defeating Democratic opponent Kirsten Engel, CBS News projected. The race had been rated a toss-up.
California's 9th Congressional District
CBS News projects incumbent Rep. Josh Harder, a Democrat, will defeat Republican opponent Kevin Lincoln. Lincoln conceded the race on Nov. 13.
"Our community has been through tough times, and we know what it means to rise, overcome and continue moving forward," he said in a statement posted to social media. "I remain committed to our community and our shared mission to make the Valley a better place. This campaign may have ended, but the work continues."
Oregon's 5th Congressional District
Republican incumbent Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who is in her first term, faced off against Democrat Janelle Bynum. CBS News projected Bynum will win the race.