AGC PAC’s win-loss percentage this election cycle stands at 92 percent, with one race outstanding.

We saw perhaps one of the biggest surprise election results in the modern political era on the night of November 8. While votes are still being counted, we've learned that Democrats will maintain control of the Senate, but Republicans will hold the House majority in the 118th Congress.

AGC PAC

AGC of America’s political action committee (AGC PAC) has so far raised over $1.1M in this election cycle and used those funds to contribute to the campaigns of more than 200 pro-construction candidates all across the country! 

With the Alaska Senate race outstanding, election night turned out to be a good one for many of the 206 AGC PAC-backed candidates who appeared on the ballot.

Currently, AGC PAC’s win-loss percentage stands at 92 percent. In the Senate races, 20 of 24 candidates won, two candidates lost, and one candidate is in a race that is still being tabulated. In the House races, 169 of 182 candidates won and 13 candidates lost. 

U.S. Senate

As of today, Republicans will hold at least 49 seats and Democrats will hold at least 50 seats in the next Congress as two of the 35 Senate elections remain undecided. The two unfinalized campaigns are Alaska and Georgia.

In the Alaska race, the state’s new ranked-choice system, which sends four candidates to the general election, won’t be decided until later this month. The contest will winnow to a battle between two Republicans, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and former Alaska Director of Administration Kelly Tshibaka. While the latter woman leads the aggregate vote count, it is clear that she and Sen. Murkowski will advance into the ranked-choice runoff. Though Ms. Tshibaka may remain the vote leader, the RCV runoff system favors Sen. Murkowski. The GOP will retain the Alaska Senate seat regardless of which woman is declared the victor when the lengthy process ends.

Out east in the Peach State, Georgia election law requires its candidates to garner an absolute majority in the general election; hence for the second cycle in a row, we will be forced to wait weeks before a determination is made. Now, in the regular cycle for his seat, Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) is falling short of the 50% mark with 49.4% of the vote versus his opponent Herschel Walker’s (R) 48.5%. Libertarian candidate Chase Oliver captured just 2% of the vote, but it was enough to deny either Sen. Warnock or Mr. Walker the ability to reach the 50% plateau. A runoff election to determine the winner will take place on December 6.

Despite these outstanding races, Republicans elected their leaders for the next Congress on November 16. Current Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) beat back a longshot challenge from Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) besting the Florida senator 37-10-1. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) will continue on as whip, Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) will also continue in the role of conference chairman, and Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) was elected to chair the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Democrats will elect their Senate leaders the week of December 5. 

U.S. House of Representatives

The vast majority of the 435 House races are now called, and it's confirmed that Republicans will hold the majority next year.

According to the Politico count, Republicans have captured at least 218 seats, the exact number needed to claim the majority. Democrats have won 210 seats and seven races remain outstanding. In those seven races, Democrats and Republicans are each favored in three of the races, and one remains a toss-up. For reference, Democrats hold 222 seats (includes two current vacancies) and Republicans hold 213 in the current Congress, so we could have a similar partisan breakdown next year, but flipped. 

Along with their colleagues in the Senate, House Republicans elected their next leaders earlier this week. As expected, GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was selected for speaker. Winning the caucus vote was the first step as Rep. McCarthy must garner at least 218 votes on the House floor come January 3. Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) will remain in their #2 and #4 roles, with the congressman becoming majority leader and the congresswoman remaining as conference chair. National Congressional Committee Chairman Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) bested Republican Study Committee Chair Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) and Chief Deputy Whip Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.) for the whip spot. 

But the big news today is that the House Democratic leadership next year will not include the current trio of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.). All are expected to stay in the next Congress but will not seek a return to leadership. Reps. Pelosi and Hoyer have held the #1 and #2 spots in the Democratic caucus since 2003. In announcing their decisions, Reps. Hoyer and Clyburn endorsed Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) to be the next Democratic House leader. Reps. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), who currently serves as assistant speaker, and Caucus Vice Chair Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), are expected to seek the No. 2 and No. 3 three spots. The leadership elections will take place the week after Thanksgiving.