America Has Spoken

Election Results Offer Significant Changes for 2025

Americans turned out to vote in record numbers to elect government officials at the national, state and local levels.

Less than a month after the November 5 election, we are still processing all the results and learning who will be in power. At the national level, Republicans won the rare trifecta of control of the White House, Senate and House. Majorities are in both bodies are very slim, making it difficult to achieve consensus on new bills, regulations and funding without bipartisanship.

It is important to be aware of the political landscape as we offer the best possible integrated marketing communications for our clients. Asher Agency is a woman-owned small business that works with state governments on a myriad of health and public information campaigns. With a former Congressional staffer and policy expert in our Washington, D.C. office, we carefully track and offer counsel on federal policy and funding opportunities for many of our clients.

We also wanted to share some of the online resources our agency’s staff and clients use to keep up with public affairs.

The White House

For the first time in more than 100 years, a past President—Donald J. Trump—returns to the White House. The last President to do this was our 22nd and 24th President Grover Cleveland, who was the only President to leave the White House and return for a second term four years later (1885-1889 and 1893-1897).

The U.S. Senate must confirm federal agency Cabinet positions, senior political positions and judges.

Monday, January 20, 2025, is the date of his Inauguration.

Top issues the new President may prioritize include immigration, health care and reproductive policies, expiring tax provisions, and the Ukraine war.

To follow the transition of power of the Presidency and its implications, check out WhiteHouse.gov

U.S. Senate

The United States Senate flipped control from Democrats to Republicans by 53-47 members. Incumbent Republican Senators held all 10 seats in the election while veteran Democratic Senators Jon Tester (Montana), Robert Casey Jr. (Pennsylvania) and Sherrod Brown (Ohio) fell short. West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin chose not to run, and Mountain State voters elected its Republican Governor Jim Justice for the seat.

Long-time Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell decided to step down prior to the election. South Dakota Republican John Thune is the new Senate Majority Leader.  A scramble for Committee assignments is under way as new members take office, and former Senators evaluate their seniority options.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine will appoint an Ohioan to take the Senate seat being vacated by Vice President-elect J.D. Vance.

The official U.S. Senate site: Senate.gov

U.S. House of Representatives

All 435 House seats were up for re-election and the results of a few races remain outstanding. The tally is 219 Republican seats to 213 for the Democrats, as of November 22, according to CNN. Republicans will hold onto the majority by a razor thin margin when all races are called.

Rep. Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) was re-elected Speaker of the House for the 119^th Congress and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) will continue to lead Democrats as Minority Leader. Freshman room assignments and Committee assignments are being finalized in this lame duck session of Congress.

All members of Congress will be sworn in for the two-year 119^th Congress on January 3, 2025.

The official U.S. House of Representatives site will capture these developments: House.gov

Lame Duck Congress

Even though the elections have been held and some members of Congress were defeated, opted to retire, or are taking newly elected positions, the work of Congress is far from finished. For instance, the 12 appropriations bills that make up the federal budget must be passed by midnight December 20, or the government could shut down. Funding shortfalls for national disasters may be addressed, as well as other pending measures passed. The Democratic-controlled Senate will also try to approve as many federal judges as possible before the Senate changes hands and President Joe Biden steps down.

The 118th United States Congress (2023-24), which began on January 3, 2023, and will end on January 3, 2025, is on a path to be the least productive ever.  In the two-year period thus far, only 82 public laws have been enacted.

The 89^th Congress (1965-66) was the most productive, with 809 public laws being enacted. Sixty of those bills made up President Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society vision.

Congressional legislative actions are detailed at Congress.gov maintained by the Library of Congress.

Governors and State Legislatures

Twenty-seven Republican Governors were elected, and 23 Democratic Governors. The election of former U.S. Senator and attorney general Kelly Ayotte in New Hampshire means 13 women will serve as Governors in their states, a record.

In state legislatures, 4,081 (55.25 percent) of legislators recently elected are Republicans. For Democrats, 3,237 legislators were elected (43.83%). Less than one percent are from other parties. Thirty-three percent of legislators are women.

For more information on our nation’s Governor’s: NGA.org

State legislative details are at NCSL.org

Contact Asher Agency or your account executive for specific election / policy questions or to discuss how the election may impact your organization’s communications, marketing, or branding needs.