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Democrats to win control of House of Representatives in major blow to Trump, first projections suggest

The result would create problems for the president 

Andrew Buncombe
Washington DC
Tuesday 06 November 2018 22:47 GMT
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The Democrats are expected to win control of the House Representatives, according to a projection by Fox News.

While only 138 of the 455 seats had been officially counted by 9.50pm, the news channel projected the Democrats would flip the 23 seats required to take control of the lower chamber of congress.

While strategists from both parties had predicted such an outcome, such a result would likely create genuine challenges for Donald Trump.

While it would give him an opportunity to work Democrats – something he has claimed he is ready to do – the House is where any impeachment proceedings against him would begin.

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Even if Democrats decided not to push for impeachments, they would at the very least be able to hold numerous hearings into the administration’s actions.

Going into the night, most pundits believed the Republicans would do well enough to hold onto their narrow Senate advantage, and perhaps even add one or two seats – Democrats Joe Donnelly of Indiana, and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota were both considered vulnerable.

They also predicted the Democrats would do well enough to win enough seats to pass the 218 seats needed to bag the House.

“The drumbeat you hear across America is people voting,” said Nancy Pelosi, the House Democratic leader who would hope to become Speaker of the House if Republicans lose.

“I feel confident we will win.”

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