Republicans aim for a red wave in the House majority.

• The outcome of the race for the House is uncertain, but Republicans are already expressing hope that they will be able to achieve a governing trifecta with their new Senate majority and the election of President-elect Donald Trump.
• To retain their majority, Republicans must gain 13 additional seats, while Democrats need 37 more to take control.
• The boundaries of power in the next Trump administration will ultimately be determined by the party that wins.

The outcome of the race for the House is uncertain, but Republicans are already expressing hope that they will be able to achieve a governing trifecta with their new Senate majority and the election of President-elect Donald Trump.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson stated on Wednesday that, as predicted, Republicans are set to have a unified government in the White House, Senate, and House.

To maintain their majority, Republicans must gain 13 more seats, while Democrats need 37 more to take control.

As per NBC News' race tracker, 21 key House districts are still undecided, while the other 26 are unlikely to change hands.

In addition to California's 47th and Maine's 2nd districts, where Republicans aim to gain seats, California's 45th district, known for its high cost, is also a key race for the GOP.

With a historically slim majority of 220 GOP seats to Democrats' 212, three vacancies, and House GOP members entered the 2024 contest.

Democrats heavily invested in House races, aiming to take control of the lower chamber. They outspent Republicans in numerous competitive races nationwide.

In races rated as "toss-up" or "leaning" by the Cook Political Report, Democrats spent $132 million, while Republicans spent $61.6 million, according to October filings with the Federal Election Commission.

The party in power will determine the limits of the next Trump administration's authority, with a Republican-controlled House giving the president-elect more freedom and a Democratic House imposing stricter controls.

If Republicans win, Speaker Johnson may continue his tenure, while if Democrats win, Hakeem Jeffries of New York is likely to become the new speaker.

In the following two years, the House will have crucial decisions to make regarding government financing, taxation, immigration policies, and corporate regulations.

A temporary funding bill was passed by Congress in September to prevent a government shutdown, which expires on December 20, setting up another budget battle before the next president assumes office in January. The possibility of a divided government may make this fight even more complicated.

The 2017 Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, set to expire in 2025, is also on the next Congress' agenda for potential extension. Trump aims to make the law permanent and increase some of the tax cuts.