What is a red wave? How could this happen? Republicans took over the House of Representatives

The election of Donald Trump and Republicans gaining control of the US Senate means the GOP is close to achieving a “red wave” if they also take control of the US House of Representatives.

With the former president Donald Trump elected for a second term and Republicans gain control of the US Senate On Wednesday, GOP candidates continued to lead the election, with only the U.S. House of Representatives remaining in the Democratic field.

If Republicans gain control of the House of Representatives, there will be a “red wave” as the party has a majority in the federal government.

According to the Associated Press, the House of Representatives hanging by a thread with dozens of races yet to be called and Republicans already holding more than 200 seats as of Wednesday evening.

As of Wednesday evening, Republicans held 52 Senate seats, while Democrats held 44, AP reported. The House is currently controlled by Democrats, who have 51 seats compared to 49 for Republicans.

As the tides appear to be changing, here’s what you need to know about the term “red tide.”

What is a red wave?

A red wave is the term used when Republicans win elections and gain or maintain control of the government, giving them the ability to easily pass policies and block opponents.

newsletterpedia defines “wave elections” as the 20% of elections in which the president’s party lost the most seats in the last 100 years (50 election cycles).

“Although there is no agreed upon definition of waves in political science, a number of scholars and journalists have attempted to define the concept, focusing primarily on the House of Representatives,” Ballotpedia reports. “More often than not, political scientists believe that a certain increase in the number of seats is necessary for an election to qualify as a wave.”

Unlike a red wave, a blue wave could also occur if Democrats win the presidency, the House of Representatives, and the Senate. The last time a blue wave was observed was in 2008, when Barack Obama was elected president to replace the late Republican Senator John McCain.

What does a red wave mean in 2024?

With the election of Trump and there might be a red wave comingRepublicans will be able to act on policies that matter to them, including strict enforcement of immigration laws and border security, high tariffs on imported goods and conservative education policies.

“Look what happened—is this crazy?” Trump told screaming supporters at the Palm Beach County Convention Center Wednesday morning.

Trump then called his supporters “the greatest political movement of all time” and declared victory over Vice President Kamala Harris and various Republican victories in Congress provided an “unprecedented and powerful mandate.”

Contributing: Michael Collins and David Jackson/USA TODAY.