The House Republican majority is set to shrink again ahead of a possible December showdown over government funding. This comes after the number of seats Republicans hold lost three seats to Democrats on Tuesday night, dropping to 214 seats in the 435-member chamber. Democrats only need 218 seats for a majority and even with their recent losses, they remain on track to gain additional seats in January, after two run-off races in Louisiana.
The battle for party control of the House means Republicans, who need at least 218 seats to keep a majority pending the Louisiana run-off results, could struggle even more to pass a spending bill in December. A government shutdown could potentially force lawmakers into a confrontation over the next government funding fight.
The new challenge for Republicans is to come up with a spending deal that could win the support from at least some Democrats, that could stave off a government shutdown threat when current government funding runs out on December 21. Democrats, meanwhile, have signaled they will stand in the way of any measures to incorporate President Donald Trump’s controversial priorities, such as border wall funding, into the spending bill.
