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What is the seat distribution in the current US House?
Executive summary
As of the available reporting, Republicans hold a narrow majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, with sources reporting 219 Republican seats and 213 Democratic seats and several vacancies noted (Republicans 219; Democrats 213; vacancies mentioned) [1]. Reporting and trackers note ongoing special elections and vacancies that can change that margin during the 119th Congress [2] [3] [4].
1. How the current split is reported: a one-seat working majority
Multiple outlets and trackers describe the House as controlled by Republicans with a very small edge. Bloomberg Government reports Republicans “currently hold 219 seats while the Democrats have 213,” with additional mention of three vacant seats tied to recent deaths and other vacancies [1]. That 219–213 count is the clearest numeric statement in the available sources about party distribution.
2. Why totals aren’t always a neat 435
The overall House has 435 voting seats, but immediate arithmetic can differ from 435 because of vacancies and pending special elections. The Green Papers lists the 119th Congress membership by state and records recent deaths and resignations; it reminds readers that all 435 state seats are up in the 2026 election cycle even as some seats are presently vacant [3]. Ballotpedia’s special-election tracker also documents many vacancies and special contests that have been called in 2025, underscoring churn that affects the day-to-day count [4].
3. Special elections and vacancies that matter to the margin
Several specific vacancies and special contests are highlighted in current reporting. Wikipedia’s 2025 House-election page and related entries note at least six special elections expected in 2025 and reference individual resignations and deaths (for example, Rep. Matt Gaetz’s resignation and other departures), emphasizing that additional special elections may shift the composition [2]. Ballotpedia’s catalog shows numerous special elections called during the 119th Congress, including seats vacated by both parties [4]. These contests are the practical mechanism that can change the 219–213 working majority reported by Bloomberg [1].
4. Different trackers, similar picture but with small discrepancies
Election trackers and reference sites (Bloomberg Government, The Green Papers, Ballotpedia, Cook/other outlets referenced in the search results) present largely consistent narratives—a Republican majority that is slim—but their snapshots can vary depending on how they treat vacancies, non-voting delegates and the timing of special-election results. For example, The Green Papers organizes seats by state and notes recent departures without giving a single headline seat-count in the snippets we have, while Bloomberg Government gives a straight numeric split [3] [1]. The small differences reflect timing and methodology rather than fundamental disagreement.
5. What to watch next — contests that could flip the math
Sources identify several upcoming or recently held special elections that can alter margins. Wikipedia and Ballotpedia enumerate special elections and note specific races (for example, contests tied to resignations or deaths), and these are the events most likely to change the House balance before the 2026 full elections [2] [4]. Cook Political Report and other election analysts are tracking open seats and retirements ahead of 2026, which will also determine control after the next full cycle [5] [6].
6. Limits of the available reporting
Available sources do not provide a single, official daily roster in these snippets; instead they offer compiled snapshots and event trackers. The claims above rely on Bloomberg Government’s explicit 219–213 figure and supplementary details from The Green Papers, Wikipedia, Ballotpedia and Cook’s trackers [1] [3] [2] [4] [5]. If you need a minute-by-minute official roll call, the House Clerk’s live roster or the House Press Gallery party breakdown would be the ideal primary source; those specific up-to-the-minute numbers are not included in the provided snippets [7].
7. Bottom line for readers
Current reporting shows Republicans holding a narrow working majority in the House—reported as 219 Republicans to 213 Democrats—with several vacancies and special elections that can and do change the arithmetic [1] [2] [4]. Watch the special-election calendar and state-level calls for those contests, because a handful of seats can flip control or materially affect what legislation the majority can advance [2] [4].