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FILE President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address during a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol on March 07, 2024 in Washington, DC (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The race for control of Congress, with seats in the House and Senate, will likely determine whether Republicans or Democrats will have the majority this November.

A total of 468 seats in Congress will be up for election on November 5, 2024.

Heading into this year’s elections, Republicans have a majority in the House of Representatives, while Democrats and independents who caucus with Democrats have a majority in the U.S. Senate.

What happens if Republicans come to power in the House and Senate?

If Republicans gain control of the House and Senate, party leaders will work to extend the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the key legislation passed by former President Donald Trump during his first term in office, before it expires at the end of 2025. The Hill is a political news website.

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Republicans may also seek to repeal or limit some or all of the clean energy incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act that President Joe Biden passed.

The party may seek to secure funding for a new border security initiative that could include completing Trump’s signature border wall and possibly defunding parts of the government.

What happens if Democrats come to power in the House and Senate?

Democrats, under control of the House and Senate, will work to restore legal protections for access to abortion that were struck down by the Supreme Court in 2022.

The party will try to bypass the filibuster in the Senate to pass voting rights legislation if it retains control of the Senate and wins back the House of Representatives in November, Hill said.

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Another priority for Democrats if they win power in Congress is to mitigate the impact of the 2010 Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. FEC, which allowed corporations and outside groups to spend unlimited money in elections.

Democrats support the Disclosure Act, which would require companies that spend money in elections, including super PACs and advocacy groups classified under the tax code’s section 501(c)4, to reveal donors who gave $10,000 or more during the election cycle. Hill noted.

What happens if power remains divided?

If the separation of powers between Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate continues after the 2024 elections, doing business in Congress could become more complicated as there will be policy changes in the government that require Congressional action.

Although House and Senate Although they are equal in functionality, only Parliament can initiate tax and revenue-related legislation. And only the Senate can draft legislation related to presidential nominations and treaties. According to USA.gov, the House acts on legislation by majority vote, while the Senate does so through debate and debate before voting.

A split in the House and Senate could also affect passage of important legislation and make it difficult for lawmakers from both parties to agree on fiscal measures.

Moreover, if Power is divided in CongressThat will make it harder for this year’s president-elect, whether it’s Kamala Harris or Donald Trump, to advance legislative agendas and appoint cabinet and staff members to key positions in the government.

Which seats will be up for grabs?

At home, 435 seats will be up for election. Ballotpedia noted that all six non-voting members of the council are also running for election.

According to Ballotpedia, there are 33 Senate seats up for regular election in 2024; Republicans have 10 seats, Democrats have 19 seats, and independents who caucus with Democrats have four.

Two special elections are planned for November 5, 2024. Ballotpedia explains that a special election will be held to fill the final two years of the six-year term for which Ben Sasse (right) was elected in 2020.

The other special election is to fill out the remainder of the six-year term to which Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) was elected in 2018. Feinstein died on September 29, 2023. The Senate seat held by Feinstein is also up for regular election on November 5, 2024.