Democrats' chances of retaking the House of Representatives improved in Fox News' latest midterm forecast, which gives the party a narrow advantage in the battle for control of the chamber less than two months before Election Day. The updated Fox News Power Rankings show Democrats favored in 212 districts, up one from July, compared with 206 for Republicans, leaving 17 toss-up races that could ultimately decide control of the House. Midterm elections are commonly viewed as a test of the political environment facing the party in power, and the president's party has historically lost seats during midterms.
Democrats rode a blue wave to pick up 41 seats in 2018, during the midterms of President Donald Trump's first White House term. Republicans currently hold a narrow majority in both the House and Senate. Ultimately, control of the House will likely be decided by a small number of competitive districts.
A party needs to hold 218 seats to have control of the chamber. Candidates have ramped up their campaigns and fundraising operations with less than two months before voters head to the polls, while Trump has expanded his efforts to boost Republicans in key battleground races. The president wrote in a Monday Truth Social post that Democrats are “going to give it one last shot at ruining America, but we're not going to let that happen.
We're going to win the Midterms, BIG, and SAVE AMERICA!” The fight for the Senate remains razor-thin, with Democrats facing a 53-47 minority and facing a difficult map. A handful of toss-up races are also expected to help determine control of the upper chamber. The competitive contests in both chambers are emerging as key tests of the political climate during Trump's second term, as his approval rating has slipped amid voter concerns over the economy, tariff policies, and the ongoing Iran war.
Newsweek has reached out to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and National Republican Congressional Committee for comment via email on Tuesday. Fox News updated its Power Rankings—a predictor index similar to those of Cook Political Report and Sabato's Crystal Ball—on Tuesday, improving Democrats' position in the race for the House. It is a slight shift from its July forecast, when it projected Democrats ahead in 211 districts and Republicans in 208, with 16 races rated as tossups.
"Not a single Democratic-held seat sits in the toss-up column," Matt Klink, owner and president of Klink Campaigns, told Newsweek in a Tuesday email. He continued, "Every one of these fights is on Republican turf—a real indicator of headwinds impacting the party in power. Democrats need six of them for a Congressional majority.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
