US midterms: Democrats flip first seats in House

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - Democratic challenger Jennifer Wexton has upset Republican incumbent Barbara Comstock for a seat in the House of Representatives, multiple media outlets reported Tuesday.

The seat in Virginia's 10th congressional district is the first Democratic pickup of the night in the federal legislature as the party seeks to seize on an energized American electorate in this year's midterm elections.

It was closely followed by a rapid-fire projection in favor of Democrat Donna Shalala, who is set to replace outgoing Florida Republican Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.

Democrats need to pick up 23 seats in the chamber in order to take control there. They have the best chance of securing a majority in the House but face steep odds in being able to do the same in the Senate, where most of the seats up for election are held by Democratic incumbents.

The midterms are critical for U.S. President Donald Trump as he seeks to secure his legislative agenda for the final two years of his first term in office.