This year’s midterm elections held many surprising outcomes across the country. Party control of both chambers of Congress, as well as gubernatorial seats and state legislatures, was secured by a much narrower margin than most conventional polls predicted. With several races still not called, below is a brief synopsis of what we know.

The Republican party is projected to be the new majority in the House of Representatives. The key threshold for majority control in the U.S. House of Representatives is 218 seats. As of November 17, the breakdown is 218 Republicans, 210 Democrats, and seven races uncalled: 2022 U.S. House Election – Live Results | RealClearPolitics.

Democrats will retain the majority in the U.S. Senate with 50 seats to the Republican 49, and a Georgia runoff election on December 6 that will determine if the U.S. Senate will main 50/50 (tie votes are broken by the vice president) or if the Democrats will have a 51-seat majority.

The AAO Political Action Committee (AAOPAC) uses a balanced and bipartisan approach to making contributions via a strategy known as Pillars of Giving. The strategy is designed to ensure that AAOPAC contributions are directed to legislators who support AAO federal and state advocacy priorities.

During the recent elections, the Pillars of Giving strategy resulted in success with nearly all “AAO champions” in Congress being reelected:

U.S. House of Representatives: 95% success
Of the 60 U.S. House of Representatives candidates who received AAOPAC contributions during the 2021-2022 election cycle, 57 won re-election.  One Member who was defeated is now a Texas state representative, and that relationship can continue to serve AAO well for our state level priorities.

U.S. Senate: Near Perfection
Of the races officially decided, U.S. Senate candidates who received AAOPAC contributions during the 2021-2022 election cycle all won re-election.  

The overwhelming majority of signers to a letter requesting the Government Accountability Office to study Direct to Consumer prescription medical device oversight won reelection. Additionally, original sponsors and co-sponsors of the REDI Act, Student Loan Refinancing and Recalculation Act, ELSA, and the Oral Health Literacy and Awareness Act—all AAO legislative priorities—were re-elected.

Governors’ Races
In 2022, 36 gubernatorial seats were up for election. Democrats flipped gubernatorial seats in Maryland and Massachusetts, and Nevada’s governor will now be a Republican. In total, 24 states will be under a Democrat governorship and 26 states are expected to have Republicans governors in 2023 (re-election of Alaska’s Republican governor has yet to be called but is likely).

State Legislatures
State legislatures in 47 states also held elections last week. The majority of state legislatures will have one-party control in 2023, with 19 states having full Democrat control and 27 states having full Republican control. Virginia is currently the only state with a split legislature (Democrat House and Republican Senate). Legislative control in Alaska, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire is not fully confirmed because there are races remaining to be decided.

Please consider making a contribution to AAOPAC now. AAOPAC helps fuel our advocacy success not only in Washington, D.C. but also supports our priorities at the state level across the country.  There is still time to be a part of this year’s winning team of AAOPAC contributors! You can easily make your contribution today at AAOPAC.org.

*All election results reflect information available on November 15, 2022.