Congratulations to President-Elect Donald J. Trump on his election as the 47th President!
House of Representatives
At the present time, Republicans have secured a majority in the Senate, while the House remains close, but still un-called. This morning, Republicans have secured 212 seats, and but need 218 seats to have the majority for the House. Many of the uncalled seats lean Republican, so it appears that Republicans have the potential to have a slim majority once all votes are tallied. However, with seat flips, it is still possible that Democrats could pick up enough seats to keep the chamber effectively level with a Democrat majority. At least 11 House seats have changed parties, with Democrats picking up 5 seats, and Republicans picking up 6.
In California, both parties are vying for control in districts where margins remain razor-thin. In District 9, Rep. Josh Harder (D) is holding a narrow lead over Republican Kevin Lincoln, while in District 21, long-serving Democrat Jim Costa has a slight edge against Michael Maher (R). Republican incumbent Mike Garcia leads George Whitesides (D) in District 27, and GOP Rep. Ken Calvert is fighting to keep his seat in District 41, where he faces a strong challenge from Democrat Will Rollins.
The race to replace outgoing Rep. Katie Porter in District 47 is particularly tight, with Republican Scott Baugh just ahead of Democrat Dave Min. In District 49, Rep. Mike Levin (D) leads his challenger, Matt Gunderson (R). Outside California, Arizona’s 6th District is in a near tie, with incumbent Republican Juan Ciscomani barely leading Democrat Kirsten Engel by a few dozen votes. Alaska’s at-large district is also competitive, as Democrat Rep. Mary Peltola trails Republican Nick Begich in a ranked-choice race that could swing either way once all votes are counted. These close contests are pivotal as both parties strive for the magic 218.
Senate
The Senate has officially taken a Republican majority by flipping three seats (so far). John Curtis (R) won the 3rd Congressional District seat in the Utah senate race, replacing Mitt Romney as Utah’s junior U.S. senator. Republican Tim Sheehy defeated the 3-term incumbent Tester flipping Montana’s U.S. Senate seat. Montana’s political profile has seen a dramatic change since Tester’s first election; with surging numbers of Republicans.
On Saturday morning, incumbent Nevada Democrat Jacky Rosen (D) secured reelection, besting challenger Sam Brown (R) by a little over a percentage point; making it a thin advantage. Over in the Arizona Senate race, Democratic nominee Ruben Gallego leads the contest against Republican counterpart Kari Lake by less than a percentage point.
With Republicans gaining control of the Senate, major changes are expected in the leadership of key committees. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee, previously chaired by retiring West Virginia Democrat Senator Joe Manchin, will likely be chaired in the upcoming Congress by Utah Senator Mike Lee. Meanwhile, the Environmental and Public Works (EPW) Committee will also see maybe leadership changes as West Virginia Senator Shelley Moore Capito is poised to become the new Chair. Overall, these leadership changes will likely lead to a shift in priorities from these committees that haven’t been shared for many years.
Western Ballot Initiatives
There were multiple agriculture-related ballot initiatives across the West this year. Thankfully, voters were able to see the impacts these initiatives would have had on our producers and provided some remarkable wins for our industry!
Colorado voters rejected a gambit of animal rights measures that could have had disastrous impacts on the agriculture and livestock industry. Two ordinances, in particular, were initiated by animal activist groups, Pro-Animal Future. Ordinance 309, which sought to close Superior Farms and outlaw slaughterhouses within the Denver city limits, lost by a wide margin. This was a major win for the U.S. sheep industry and the Denver community. Superior Farms is the only slaughterhouse serving Colorado and Wyoming, which are both sheep-heavy states. If passed, a study found that the Colorado economy would have seen an $861 million loss of economic activity in the state and 2,787 fewer jobs.
Pro-Animal Future’s Ordinance 308 to ban making or selling fur-based products also failed to win over Denver voters. This posed significant risks to the market for livestock byproducts being sold. This was a major win for the livestock industry and Western culture at large. This ordinance would have outlawed products like fly-fishing lures or even cowboy hat sales within city limits. Though Denverites are pushing animal rights movements in the city and state, voters do not seem interested in letting it impact local and state economies.
Lame Duck: What’s next?
As the shake-up on the Hill settles, PLC remains focused on activity in the lame-duck session. While the legislative to-do list remains long, Tuesday’s election results are expected to shift the timing and priorities of the chambers. PLC has been engaged with Congressmen Westerman (AR) and Newhouse (WA) on an Endangered Species Act (ESA) reform bill, gaining support for revisions that would make the act more manageable and geared towards the recovery of species. Although legislative avenues are limited with timing, we remain optimistic and committed that momentum is established for the next Congress.
While Congress must pass appropriations measures in some form, there’s very few other must-pass bills on the Congressional calendar – particularly for Republicans who are hoping they hold the House and have a strong negotiating position next year. That motivation is likely to impact not only the prospect of a Farm Bill, lands package, and other permitting reform before the end of the year.
The Farm Bill, a crucial policy initiative, remains a priority, though its passage this year is still being determined. For those affected by the devastating wildfire season and recent hurricanes, disaster relief is another urgent issue. Speaker Johnson has pledged to prioritize disaster relief upon Congress’s return, with many lawmakers stressing the need for swift action. The damage to ranching operations and grazing land requires immediate relief and long-term support for rebuilding efforts. PLC will continue advocating to ensure wildfire relief remains a top priority while continuing our push to see preventative measures implemented. As we move forward, we reaffirm our commitment to advocating for the policies that support ranchers.
