Congress
Turner, Hudson among the latest GOP losers as Democrats reach 250 seats in the House
Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio), a longtime lawmaker and former chair of the House Intelligence Committee, lost his bid for reelection to Democrat Kristina Knickerbocker, The Associated Press projected Thursday afternoon, the latest Republican in red territory to be overwhelmed by this week’s blue wave.
That result, alongside National Republican Congressional Committee Chair Richard Hudson’s (R-N.C.) defeat to Richard Ojeda in North Carolina, has vaulted Democrats over 250 seats in the House for the first time since the 2008 election.
Hudson — who had already conceded defeat Wednesday — is the second party committee chair to go down in recent years. Then-Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Sean Patrick Maloney lost in 2022 to Republican Mike Lawler.
(Lawler also lost Tuesday.)
The AP also projected that two more Republican incumbents — Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.) and Jeff Crank (R-Colo.) — also lost amid a massive blue wave, as voters vent their frustrations with President Donald Trump, inflation and the ongoing war in Iran.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) did, however, manage to hang onto her seat — just barely. Trump cruised in her district by more than 13 points in 2024. She won by fewer than 3,000 votes.
Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York officially announced his bid to lead the House Foreign Affairs Committee in a letter to colleagues Thursday.
Meeks is not expected to face a challenger despite sharp divisions within the party over issues like military aid for Israel, and his letter did not mention any of those policy disputes.
Long-time leader: Meeks has been the top Democrat on the panel since 2021, and he pointed to his record of opposition to the Trump administration’s foreign policy priorities as a reason for fellow Democrats to support his bid.
Meeks highlighted his efforts to roll back President Donald Trump’s tariffs and his backing for repealing longstanding authorizations for the use of military force. He also noted his support for Ukraine, his success in shepherding a State Department reauthorization and the progress panel Democrats have already made holding the administration to account for “lawlessness and corruption.”
“Even in the minority, we have delivered for our Caucus. We have driven the agenda on issues that matter to the American people, including the high cost of living driven by Trump’s war in Iran and reckless tariffs, and held this Administration accountable for its abuse of power and corruption,” Meeks wrote.
Bipartisan work? Meeks promised that if he is chosen as chair, he “will build on this Committee’s good work under Democratic leadership, hold the Trump Administration accountable using all available oversight tools, and continue to deliver real, bipartisan solutions that advance America’s interests.”
Rep. Greg Steube is running for GOP Conference Chair — and out with a harsh message for the current leadership team about Tuesday’s loss.
“Republicans didn’t lose because we were too conservative. We lost because we failed to deliver on the conservative policies we promised,” the Florida Republican said in a post on X Thursday afternoon, accompanied by a picture of a letter to colleagues announcing his candidacy.
“I’m not interested in preserving the status quo,” Steube added. “I’m stepping forward to give Members a conservative choice and take our Conference in a new direction.”
He is joining the race against current GOP Conference Chair Lisa McClain of Michigan and Rep. Erin Houchin of Indiana to serve in the leadership position focused on party messaging.
Steube, who has criticized and broken with House GOP leaders in the past, gave his most scathing remarks after Tuesday’s catastrophic loss for Republicans, telling Senate and House leaders that “the polls were not wrong. You were.”
“Even with record amounts of money at your disposal, you managed to get absolutely annihilated,” Steube posted on X after the election. “You have been embarrassingly weak and more afraid of governing conservatively than of disappointing the voters who put us in office.”
Republican Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, 93, has refuted rumors he will step down during the lame-duck session to prevent incoming Democratic Gov. Rob Sand from having an opportunity to appoint his successor.
“He remains committed to delivering for the people of Iowa, who overwhelmingly elected him to a six-year term in 2022,” Grassley’s chief of staff wrote on X Thursday.
A spokesperson from Grassley’s office declined further comment on the post.
Grassley, who is third in line for the presidency, Senate Judiciary chair and a member of the Senate Agriculture panel, has not yet said if he will run for a ninth term in 2028. If he did, he could be the second senator to turn 100 in the chamber after former South Carolina Sen. Strom Thurmond.
Republican Iowa lawmakers were decimated in Tuesday’s midterms. Josh Turek bested Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson for retiring Sen. Joni Ernst’s Senate seat. Democrats also flipped three of the state’s four congressional districts.
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