These 5 House seats are still undecided, with 2024 results outstanding a week after Election Day
Washington — More than a week after Election Day 2024, the results in a handful of races for the U.S. House of Representatives are still outstanding. But enough races have now been decided for CBS News to project that Republicans will hold onto control of the House with at least 218 seats, the number needed for a majority.
With President-elect Donald Trump's victory over Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential race and Republicans poised to control at least 52 seats in the Senate, the GOP is heading toward full control in Washington come January.
Most of the undecided House races are in California, where state law requires mail ballots to be postmarked by Election Day and received by county elections offices up to seven days after the election, so many are still being counted.
As votes continue to be tallied in several states where the winners of congressional races have not yet been projected, Congress has returned to Washington for the first time in weeks, and Republicans are moving forward with leadership elections. 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 elected to succeed Stefanik.
Here are the outstanding House races as of Friday, Nov. 15:
Alaska at-large
Republican Nick Begich leads incumbent Rep. Mary Peltola, a Democrat, by more than 9,000 votes, with 71% of the estimated vote total reported. CBS News estimates that the race is leaning Republican.
If Begich defeats Peltola, it would be a GOP pick-up in the House. Alaska uses ranked-choice voting, so voters select multiple candidates and rank them in order of preference.
Unless a candidate earns more than 50% of the first-choice vote, the one with the fewest first-choice votes will be 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%.
California's 13th Congressional District
Freshman GOP Rep. John Duarte leads Democratic challenger Adam Gray by more than 3,700 votes with 76% of votes in.
The two faced off in 2022, when Gray lost by less than 600 votes. CBS News characterizes the race as a toss-up.
California's 45th Congressional District
This race between GOP incumbent Rep. Michelle Steel and Democrat Derek Tran is remarkably close. Steel is ahead by 349 votes with 89% of the vote in. CBS News characterizes the race as a toss-up. Steel is in her second term in the House and is one of the first Korean-American women to serve in Congress.
Iowa's 1st Congressional District
The race between Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Democrat Christina Bohannan is a rematch of the 2022 contest. The 2024 election is very close, with Miller-Meeks leading by 802 votes with 99% of the vote counted. CBS News characterizes the race as leaning Republican.
Ohio's 9th Congressional District
Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur is working to keep control of her seat in the race against Republican challenger Derek Merrin. CBS News characterizes the race as leaning Democratic. Kaptur is leading Merrin by more than 1,100 votes with 94% of the estimated vote total reported.
The latest races decided
California's 21st Congressional District
Democratic Rep. Jim Costa won his reelection bid against Republican Michael Maher, CBS News projects. The congressman leads by a margin of 52.3 to 47.7 percentage points with 89% of the estimated vote total reported so far.
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 characterizes the race as lean Democrat, with incumbent Rep. Josh Harder, a Democrat, ahead of his Republican opponent Kevin Lincoln by more than 8,000 votes, with 83% of the estimated vote total reported so far. Lincoln, however, 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.
