On Wednesday, President Joe Biden is set to receive President-elect Donald Trump at the White House for a significant meeting in the Oval Office. This encounter is a customary aspect of the peaceful transition of power—a practice Trump notably ignored four years ago when he was exiting the presidency after losing to Biden.

Amidst this high-profile meeting, control of the House of Representatives remains undecided, with several congressional races still awaiting final outcomes.

In preparation for a pivotal day in Washington, President-elect Trump departed from West Palm Beach, Florida, early in the morning, around 7:30 a.m. ET. His flight to the capital is expected to take roughly two hours. This meeting between the sitting and incoming president continues to underscore the importance of maintaining traditions, which Biden emphasized by extending the invitation to Trump. The current president values adhering to established norms regarding the peaceful transfer of power.

Meanwhile, Republican senators are convening in a closed-session meeting to elect a new majority leader who will succeed the long-serving Mitch McConnell as head of the Senate next year. This leadership change is particularly crucial as it could determine both the Senate’s trajectory and the direction of the Republican Party, coinciding with Trump’s return to the presidency.

Key contenders for the position include South Dakota Senator John Thune, Texas Senator John Cornyn, and Florida Senator Rick Scott. All three are vying for votes in the secret ballot election, each promising a renewed direction for the Senate while they contest for Trump’s endorsement and support. This election will serve as a crucial test of Trump’s influence over Congress following his significant electoral victory and his assertion of a mandate for his political agenda.

Currently, the outcome of this leadership contest remains uncertain, leaving party dynamics poised for change in the coming months.