Congress Returns to Work as Election Results Remain Unsettled

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

As votes continued to pour in from the 2022 midterm elections, Democrats have retained control of the U.S. Senate and still cling to hope that the House will swing in their favor.

But whatever happens with the remaining count determining control of the House, the Republican Party’s anticipation of a red wave crashed into a resilient blue wall, even as members return to work.

“We are going to try to have as productive a lame-duck session as possible,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) stated.

“I’m going to talk to my caucus. I’m going to talk to the Republican leadership and see what we can get done,” Schumer added.

There’s much on the agenda before Congress goes into recess on December 16.
At the top of the list is funding the government for 2023 and avoiding a shutdown.

Democrats also hope to get a bill to President Joe Biden’s desk to strengthen federal election laws surrounding counting and certifying electoral votes in presidential elections.
Many believe such a measure won’t stand a chance in a GOP-controlled House.

However, some Republicans are on record agreeing that reform of some kind is required.
Congress also must address the annual National Defense Authorization Act, which structures the Pentagon.

Additionally, the January 6 committee should release its final report next month, and members must decide what to do about former President Donald Trump’s fight against its subpoena.

The committee could move forward in recommending charges, but with the possibility of Republicans wresting control of the House, the investigation could stall or even cease.
A party must hold 218 seats to gain a majority in the House.

Officials continue to count votes from mail-in ballots in California, Oregon, and Arizona.
The GOP won 211 seats to 204 for Democrats as of press time.

In a significant victory for Democrats, CNN projected that Marie Perez would defeat Republican Joe Kent, a Donald Trump ally, in Washington state’s GOP-leaning 3rd District.
In Colorado’s 3rd District, Trump loyalist Lauren Boebert remains locked in an unexpected battle with Democrat Adam Frisch.

If Frisch upsets Boebert, it will increase his party’s long-shot chance of holding the House.
Democrats also did surprisingly well in gubernatorial races, winning 23 seats.

In potentially the most stunning upset of the 2022 midterms, Republican Kari Lake, a 2020 election denier, trails Democrat Katie Hobbs in the Arizona governor’s race by 34,000 votes.
Officials still must count about 290,000 votes before declaring a winner.

Also, in Los Angeles, former Congressional Black Caucus Chair Karen Bass had widened her lead over developer Rick Caruso in the race for mayor.

A Bass victory would make her the first Black woman mayor in the history of Los Angeles.