US House win by ex-combat pilot cements Republican control of House
The House of Representatives has voted overwhelmingly to approve a Republican takeover. The victory for the Republicans is a major rebuke to President Obama and his Democrats, who had tried so hard to stop the Republicans’ path to victory.
The last-minute maneuvering by Democrats left the party with no chance of blocking it — and it’s the kind of last-minute maneuvering that Democrats have been known for in the past.
The vote was 235-193. Republicans held the majority to replace Speaker John Boehner, who was voted out of office in an upset in January.
Among the Republicans, the margin was clear. “My faith in America has never been stronger,” said Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa).
“We will not lose our faith in each other,” said Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-Kansas).
Republicans also showed what they could do in a tough map. The victory gives them one in four seats in the House. That’s a big boost in the battle for control of the House and the Senate.
“It’s clear that we have the votes to pass our bill in the House,” said House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). “We will have a unified Republican government tomorrow. This is the type of majority that I want: a majority that is bipartisan and that is willing to stand up to the president on our most sacred issues,” said House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.).
McCarthy said Democrats are a divided party.
“They have been divided for a long time. They have been divided on the economy, they have been divided on repealing Obamacare, they have been divided on foreign policy issues.”
Democrats had hoped to pass some version of a clean debt-ceiling hike in this Congress, but it is unlikely that anything would get that far.
Many of the Democrats on the floor came to praise the votes of Republicans.
“I’m thrilled that this bill is coming to the floor,” said Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who has criticized the legislation from the start. “I am proud to be a part of it and I will fight for
