On November 6th, 2024, the American public voted Donald J. Trump into office as the 47th President of the United States. Trump was elected as the primary candidate for the Republican Party, demonstrating the significant hold and influence the party has had on the public in the past few years. This election was not only monumental for the presidency, but it also coincided with the Senate and House of Representative Elections that would decide the country’s path. The Republicans emerged victorious in the House winning a slim majority with 220 to 215 seats and earning a majority in the Senate with 53 to 47 seats. This means that the entire Legislative Branch and Executive Branch are controlled by one party. This has been known to be called the “trifecta of power” in the past.
How did this happen?
In the lead-up to the election, the Democratic party and the Republican party battled fiercely for the majority of the House. Before the election, the Republican party held an 8-seat majority, the smallest in history, especially compared to the Democratic party, which held 212 seats. However crucial strategies in the Republican party played a pivotal role in holding on to their power, creating an even slimmer majority for the Republicans. Through Donald Trump’s key wins in “battleground” states, the Republican party helped give leverage to the Republican candidates in those states. In Pennsylvania, Republicans unseated two Democratic representatives in addition to also capturing one Michigan seat.
On the Senate side, the competition was just as tense. The Democratic party, eventually lost its slender majority as it failed to keep its vital seats. The Republican Party took advantage of this moment of confusion and managed to flip seats in the states of West Virginia, Montana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. They also managed to keep hold of their seat in Nebraska which had become extra competitive as the election drew nearer. The fast-paced shifting of voter loyalty was a recurrent theme of the entire 2024 election.
What will happen now?
Now because the President of the United States has immense power at his disposal with this “trifecta” we will most likely see an uptick in the probability of bills being passed with a Republican majority. As another result of this “trifecta,” there will probably be more focus on the President’s upcoming agenda, as it is in better shape to be put into action now. In Donald Trump’s term from 2017-2019, the Republican party also had a governing trifecta passing much of their agenda—but not all. These implications could cause many challenges up the road as the country adjusts to the major political shift of the country. The current political climate of the country will show a strong need to talk about and clarify the former president’s policy on abortion rights, environmental laws, border policies, education plans, and healthcare affordability.
