Republicans within striking distance of House majority as key races remain too close to call

The majority in the House of Representatives appears within reach for Republicans, who have already won control of the Senate and White House.

Associated Press race projections show Republicans holding 209 seats compared to 196 seats for Democrats as of Thursday afternoon.

A total of five sitting House lawmakers are projected to lose their re-election bids so far – three Republicans and two Democrats.

Several races involving GOP incumbents in California are still too close to call and are likely to be pivotal to the House majority. 

Republicans in three Arizona districts, as well as GOP lawmakers in Nebraska, Iowa, and Oregon are also still awaiting result projections.

Whichever party reaches 218 victories first will hold the House majority in the 119th Congress.

But House Republican leaders have been touting confidence in their eventual victory, with the top four House leaders already formally announcing bids to hold the same spots in a January House majority.

'It appears we're going to hold the House and flip the Senate,' House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., told Fox News Digital on Wednesday night. 'California's the main state still. You know, in a lot of those close races, our incumbents are leading the way — by small margins, but we knew there would be small margins.'

It's a far cry from House Democrats, whose hopes of winning the majority are rapidly decreasing. Multiple sources told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that Democrats were bracing for Republicans to win complete control of Congress and the White House.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., pointed out that a Republican victory is not a forgone conclusion, however.

'It has yet to be decided who will control the House of Representatives in the 119th Congress. We must count every vote and wait until the results in Oregon, Arizona and California are clear,' Jeffries said in a statement that also congratulated President-elect Trump.

Democrats have scored key wins in projections by unseating Republican incumbents in three New York seats – Reps. Marc Molinaro, Brandon Williams and Anthony D'Esposito.

Republicans are projected to flip three seats as well – one vacated by a Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., to run for Senate, and two districts held by moderate Democrats in Pennsylvania. 

The GOP also saw former House Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry, R-Pa., projected to survive his toughest race yet as of Thursday afternoon.