Control of the U.S. House of Representatives depends on several tight races that could give Republicans a majority after a midterm election in which President Joe Biden's Democrats outperformed expectations and held on to the Senate, Reuters reports.

Republicans are closer to winning the House of Representatives with 211 seats compared to Democrats' 206, with 218 seats needed for a majority. But the final result could be known for several more days as officials continue to count ballots.

Democrats presented their higher-than-expected results as confirmation of their agenda and a rebuke to Republicans for their attempts to undermine the credibility of the election results.

A Republican victory in the House of Representatives would set the stage for a two-year split in government and give Biden's opponents an opportunity to limit his political agenda and launch potentially damaging investigations into his administration and family.

Democrats, who won Saturday's Senate victory in Nevada and extinguished Republican hopes of a "red wave" of success, have turned their attention to a runoff election in Georgia that could strengthen their position in Congress.

Victory in Nevada gave Democrats control of the Senate, and Vice President Kamala Harris won the deciding vote.