Republicans Retain Control of House

Speaker John Boehner is going to keep his gavel. Republicans are on track to easily retain control of the House, reports Politico. Democrats needed to gain 25 seats to avoid that fate, but they won't even come close. In fact, Republicans might even increase their majority, which stood at 242-193 before today. Some highlights:

• Democrat Jesse Jackson Jr. won re-election in Chicago, though he's largely been out of action since taking medical leave in June for bipolar disorder.
• Paul Ryan easily won re-election in Wisconsin, so he'll be in DC come January, after all.
• Democrat Tammy Duckworth, a vet who lost both her legs in Iraq, beat GOP incumbent and Tea Party favorite Joe Walsh in Illinois.
• Joaquin Castro won in Texas; his twin brother, Julian, the mayor of San Antonio, delivered the keynote address at the Democrats' convention, and Joaquin introduced his sibling. The 37-year-olds are rising Latino stars in the party.
• Boehner warned that the GOP majority in the House means "there is no mandate for raising tax rates," reports the Hill.
• Mia Love in Utah conceded a close race; she nearly became the first black Republican woman to win a House seat.

(More Election 2012 stories.)