Zach Nunn ousts Cindy Axne in key U.S. House win for GOP

What happened: Axne initially won her seat by a narrow margin against David Young back in 2018 by winning with wider margins in Polk County and avoiding huge losses in rural areas.

• The district became more favorable to Republicans following redistricting that saw the addition of more rural counties.

The big picture: Democrats across the country braced themselves for GOP gains in Congress as likely Republican voters reported inflation and the economy as their priorities during the midterm.

Where it stands: Control of Congress still hangs in the balance as of Wednesday afternoon, as some competitive House contests remain uncalled and three Senate races are outstanding.