Energy Interests Closely Following Outcome of House and Senate Races

SUGAR LAND, TEXAS--November 11, 2022--Written by John Egan for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Although results are not yet finalized, Republicans are likely to be the majority party in the House of Representatives when the next Congress convenes January 3, 2023. As of Thursday afternoon, GOP candidates won 209 seats in Tuesday's election compared to 191 for the Democrats, with 35 seats yet to be decided. Majority control of the 435-seat House will pass to whichever party secures 218 seats. So far, the GOP is much closer to that mark than the Democrats.

In contrast to the widespread pre-election predictions of a "red wave" election, where Republicans would make significant gains at the expense of Democrats, this election broke with precedent in that the president's party did not suffer steep losses in the House and Senate. With inflation high, gas and diesel prices high, and favorability low for President Joe Biden, it was easy to see how this election could have gone that way. Why it did not likely will occupy politicians, pollsters and political science professors for the next two years, if not beyond.