Republicans are taking back the White House and the U.S. Senate. All that remains to be determined is control of the U.S. House, which Republicans appear poised to take as well. That means that everything on President-elect Donald Trump’s platform will be in play when Congress convenes in January.
Trump and Congressional leaders are already discussing how to raise tariffs by legislation. The plan they are working on is using the tariffs to offset an extension of the tax cuts that are set to expire. They are facing some headwinds as tariffs are drawing increased criticism from the manufacturing and health care industries.
The new governing coalition also has its sights on the health care industry. Both Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson have expressed their intention to modify the Affordable Care Act, but we have yet to see any solid details emerge. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) transition team will likely include some familiar names from the first Trump administration including Paul Mango, former deputy chief of staff at HHS under the Trump administration. And in recent weeks, former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he expects Trump to put him in charge of HHS, a claim Trump transition co-chair Howard Lutnick later denied.
On Wednesday morning, Trump said he had a “powerful mandate.” That will include an executive order on his first day in office to dramatically increase oil and gas drilling, “which will ultimately then bring down prices, bring down inflation,” Trump adviser Jason Miller said.
For businesses in the Southeast and across the country, the impact of a second Trump administration on various policy areas remains uncertain, as it will depend largely on the individuals he appoints to his Cabinet and other key positions. Significant shifts are anticipated in federal regulations concerning industries such as health care, education, trade, and immigration.
The White House
Donald J. Trump was elected the 47th President of the United States on Tuesday, becoming the second candidate in U.S. history to win a non-consecutive term. The Republican candidate dominated the key “swing states” and is expected to secure over 300 Electoral College votes once all votes are counted. Trump also appears poised to win a majority of the popular vote, marking the first time a Republican has done so since 2004.
Trump has tapped his campaign senior adviser Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff. Wiles, who amassed outsized influence as Trump’s de facto campaign manager, will be the first woman to ever hold the title of White House chief of staff.
U.S. Senate
The Republican Party also claimed victory in the Senate, flipping four seats previously held by Democrats in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Montana, and Ohio. With a 53-seat majority, the GOP is now holding internal elections to select a new majority leader, as long-time leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) steps down. The candidates in the three-way race are John Thune (R-SD), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Rick Scott (R-FL), though Trump has not yet endorsed any of them. It is unclear who currently holds an advantage in terms of votes. Regardless of the outcome, a Republican-controlled Senate will work with the Trump administration to confirm political appointments and advance its policy agenda — though passage of most legislation will still require at least 60 votes in the Senate.
U.S. House of Representatives
House race results are still being finalized, with control of the chamber hanging in the balance. Republicans are defending a narrow majority, which they gained in 2022 with strong performances in blue states like New York and California. Those states are again pivotal in determining the outcome this year. Both parties are optimistic about the undecided races, and as of Friday morning, Republicans had gained one net seat, flipping six seats from Democrats, who have flipped five. More than 20 races remain uncalled. The final balance of power in the House will heavily influence how much of Trump’s agenda can be enacted. Regardless of the outcome, the majority is expected to be slim, and the next two years are likely to see continued hyper-partisanship on Capitol Hill.
Georgia’s Congressional Delegation
Republicans held onto their 9-5 advantage in the Georgia delegation. The only newcomer will be Representative-elect Brian Jack in the 3rd District.
Here are the results for all of Georgia’s U.S. House contests:
1st DISTRICT: (i) Buddy Carter (R)
2nd DISTRICT: (i) Sanford Bishop (D)
3rd DISTRICT: Brian Jack (R)
4th DISTRICT: (i) Hank Johnson (D)
5th DISTRICT: (i) Nikema Williams (D)
6th DISTRICT: (i) Lucy McBath (D)
7th DISTRICT: (i) Rich McCormick (R)
8th DISTRICT: (i) Austin Scott (R)
9th DISTRICT: (i) Andrew Clyde (R)
10th DISTRICT: (i) Mike Collins (R)
11th DISTRICT: (i) Barry Loudermilk (R)
12th DISTRICT: (i) Rick Allen (R)
13th DISTRICT: (i) David Scott (D)
14th DISTRICT: (i) Marjorie Taylor Greene (R)
North Carolina’s Congressional Delegation
Going into the election, the North Carolina House delegation was evenly split with seven Republicans and seven Democrats. However, the races were conducted with new district lines, meaning Republicans will now enjoy a 10-4 majority in the delegation. Five of those Republicans will be freshmen, including current North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore.
Here are the winners for all of North Carolina’s U.S. House contests:
1st DISTRICT: (i) Don Davis (D)
2nd DISTRICT: (i) Deborah Ross (D)
3rd DISTRICT: (i) Greg Murphy (R)
4th DISTRICT: (i) Valerie Foushee (D)
5th DISTRICT: (i) Virginia Foxx (R)
6th DISTRICT: Addison McDowell (R)
7th DISTRICT: (i) David Rouzer (R)
8th DISTRICT: Mark Harris (R)
9th DISTRICT: (i) Richard Hudson (R)
10th DISTRICT: Pat Harrigan (R)
11th DISTRICT: (i) Chuck Edwards (R)
12th DISTRICT: (i) Alma Adams (D)
13th DISTRICT: Brad Knott (R)
14th DISTRICT: Tim Moore (R)
South Carolina’s Congressional Delegation
The South Carolina delegation will remain 6-1 in favor of the Republicans. The only newcomer on the delegation is Representative-elect Sheri Biggs in the 3rd District.
Here are the winners for all of South Carolina’s U.S. House contests:
1st DISTRICT: (i) Nancy Mace (R)
2nd DISTRICT: (i) Joe Wilson (R)
3rd DISTRICT: Sheri Biggs (R)
4th DISTRICT: (i) William Timmons (R)
5th DISTRICT: (i) Ralph Norman (R)
6th DISTRICT: (i) Jim Clyburn (D)
7th DISTRICT: (i) Russell Fry (R)
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