Key pickup opportunities for Republicans to secure their House majority



Republicans will likely maintain their slim majority in the House, but several key races have not yet been called.

Republicans are just four seats away from the majority, currently holding 214 seats, while Democrats hold just 203 seats. In order for one party to win the majority, the party must hold at least 218 of the 435 House seats.

Although Democrats are leading 10 of the 18 uncalled races, Republicans are well on their way to maintaining their House majority.

California is the most likely path to victory for the GOP, with Republicans leading in four of the 10 uncalled congressional races. Republican incumbents John Duarte of California's 13th Congressional District, David Valadao of California's 22nd Congressional District, Ken Calvert of California's 41st Congressional District, and Michelle Steel of California's 45th Congressional District are all leading their Democratic challengers.

These four competitive California races would be enough to keep Republicans in the majority.

The GOP has another pickup opportunity in the neighboring state of Arizona. Republican incumbent Juan Ciscomani of Arizona's 6th Congressional District is currently leading Democratic challenger Kirsten Engel. Ciscomani's is the only congressional race that has not yet been called in Arizona.

Up north, Republicans are guaranteed another seat in the race for Washington's 4th Congressional District. Unlike most other states, Washington has a ranked-choice system, which allows voters to rank their candidates in preferential order rather than having a two-party primary like most other races. As a result, constituents are voting between two Republican candidates, incumbent Dan Newhouse and challenger Jerrod Sessler.

Newhouse is currently ahead of Sessler, but no matter which way the race pans out, Republicans will have secured the seat.

Similar to Washington, Alaska also adopted the ranked-choice voting system, though notably, Alaska introduced a ballot measure to end ranked-choice voting, which is currently on track to pass in the state.

Of the three Alaskan candidates, Republican challenger Nick Begich is leading Democratic incumbent Mary Peltola and independent candidate John Wayne Howe in the race for Alaska's sole congressional seat.

While the race has not yet been called, Begich is leading Peltola by four points, making the longtime red state a likely layup for the GOP.

Republicans are leading a much tighter race out east in Iowa's 1st Congressional District. Republican incumbent Mariannette Miller-Meeks is currently ahead of Democratic challenger Christina Bohannan by just 0.2% with 99% of the votes counted. Miller-Meeks holds just a 1,200-vote advantage.

Although Democrats are leading 10 of the 18 uncalled races, Republicans are well on their way to maintaining their House majority.

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Energy secretary makes ironic admission about her own kitchen when confronted about potential gas stove ban



Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm admitted Thursday that she uses a gas stove.

The admission was mind-numbingly ironic, because it came as she defended potential new energy regulations that would ban, by her own admission, at least half of the gas stoves currently on the market.

What did Granholm say?

At a House Appropriations Committee hearing on the Energy Department's budget for fiscal year 2024, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.) asked Granholm about new proposed rules for energy conservation standards that would impact gas and electric stoves.

At first, Granholm claimed there has been "an awful lot of misinformation" about the proposed standards. Then she downplayed how many stoves would be impacted.

"This does not impact the majority, and it certainly does not say that anybody who has a gas stove would have their gas stove taken away," she said.

"There's no ban on gas stoves. I have a gas stove," the secretary added. "It is just about making the existing electric and gas stoves, and all the other appliances, more efficient."

Budget Hearing – Fiscal Year 2024 Request for the Department of Energy www.youtube.com

In his question, Newhouse claimed that 96% of all gas stoves would be adversely impacted by the new energy standards.

But Granholm said the statistic is misleading because the study from which it was derived only tested gas stoves that researchers presupposed would fail the testing standards. She explained that expensive commercial stoves were most likely to fail because they have larger burners relative to the size of most conventional cookware.

Still, she admitted that "half of the gas stoves on the market right now wouldn't even be impacted," suggesting that at least half of the gas stoves on the market will be impacted.

That means Americans would not be able to purchase those stoves, and it's unclear what the remedy would be for gas stoves currently installed that do not meet the standards. Gas stoves in that case could be grandfathered in, modified to conform to the standards, or be prohibited altogether.

Last month, the Consumer Product Safety Commission voted to seek public comment on gas stoves. CPSC commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. described the vote as "an important milestone on the road to protecting consumers from potential hidden hazards in their homes—the emissions from gas stoves."

Meanwhile, New York is poised to become the first state to impose a legislative ban on natural gas appliances, including gas stoves, in new buildings.

Supporters of such bans claim gas appliances emit greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.

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