As of 10:40 p.m. Eastern time Tuesday, Republicans have retained control of the House of Representatives, winning 144 seats to the Democrats’ 87, CNN reports.

“With this vote, the American people have also made clear that there is no mandate for raising tax rates,” Speaker John Boehner said Tuesday evening. He had told CNN on Sunday — expressing the hopes of many of the country’s highest earners — that the GOP “might” scoop up more seats in the House.

Republicans controlled the House by 242 to 193 going into the election. Only 50 to 60 races were deemed competitive, some because of redistricting. Democrats need to acquire 25 GOP seats to regain control.

Tea party principles have played a smaller role in this election compared to those in the past. As CNN reports:

House Republican candidates are still stressing the core issues that the tea party movement pushed in 2010 — less government and a focus on cutting federal spending and the deficit — but Republican candidates are “not wearing the tea party label on their sleeves,” one senior GOP strategist working on House races said recently.

— Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly.

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#2012 election#gop#house of representatives#republicans#tea party