UPDATE - Republicans lay claim to narrow US House of Representatives majority

ADDS DETAILS THROUGHOUT

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - Republicans cemented a slim majority in the US House of Representatives on Wednesday, over a week after the US held nationwide midterm elections.

Vote counting is ongoing in several tightly-contested races, particularly in the US's most populous state of California, but Republicans were able to claim their 218th seat Wednesday evening, according to an Associated Press tally. Democrats have secured 210 seats so far with seven races still uncalled.

Democrats were able to successfully defend their majority in the Senate, perhaps even adding a seat depending on the Dec. 6 runoff in Georgia, and have staved off worst-case scenarios in the House that predicted dozens of seats falling to Republicans in what is colloquially known as a "red wave."

Republicans needed a net gain of just five seats to claim the majority, which they have just barely achieved.

Midterms traditionally serve as a political drubbing for the party in power, and many analysts predicted that was in the cards with widespread concerns over the health of the US economy and the prospect of a global recession looming.

It could be days or weeks for final decisions to be reached in outstanding contests, but the incoming House is slated to hold one of the slimmest majorities in modern history, which is likely to complicate efforts to govern.

Undeterred, incoming House Speaker Kevin McCarthy lauded the Republican victory, saying on Twitter that "Americans are ready for a new direction, and House Republicans are ready to deliver."

With underwhelming showings in both the House and Senate, Republicans are set to face an internal reckoning as they head into the 2024 presidential contest, which former President Donald Trump formally entered on Tuesday.

Democratic US President Joe Biden congratulated McCarthy on winning the House, saying he is "ready to work with House Republicans to deliver results for working families."

"In this election, voters spoke clearly about their concerns: the need to lower costs, protect the right to choose, and preserve our democracy. As I said last week, the future is too promising to be trapped in political warfare," Biden said in a statement.

"The American people want us to get things done for them. They want us to focus on the issues that matter to them and on making their lives better. And I will work with anyone -- Republican or Democrat -- willing to work with me to deliver results for them," he added.