ELECTION UPDATE | Dems flip House seats in Fla., Va., GOP takes Ky. race

WASHINGTON (AP)

The Democrats flipped their first two Republican-held House seats Tuesday in Florida and Virginia but fell short in a closely watched race in Kentucky as they fought to wrest control of the chamber from the GOP and confront President Donald Trump.

With polls closing across the East, one of the top Democratic recruits, retired Marine fighter pilot Amy McGrath, lost her bid to oust to three-term Rep. Andy Barr in the Lexington-area district.

In the Miami area, former Clinton administration Cabinet member Donna Shalala defeated television journalist Maria Elvira Salazar in a costly, roller-coaster contest. Virginia Rep. Barbara Comstock — among the most endangered GOP incumbents, branded Barbara “Trumpstock” by Democrats — lost to Jennifer Wexton, a prosecutor and state legislator. She was among the record number of women running this year.

Both of those Democratic gains were in districts the party eyed for turnover in part because they were won by Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election.

As Election Day unfolded, Democrats were increasingly confident, predicting they would pick up at least the 23 seats needed for a House majority on the strength of voter enthusiasm, robust fundraising and unusually fresh candidates.