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The Latest: New Georgia, South Carolina lawmakers sworn in

Representative-elect Karen Handel, R-Ga., right, kisses her husband Steve Handel before a ceremonial swearing-in on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, June 26, 2017. Handel, the Republican winner of the most expensive House race ever, is preparing to take her seat representing Atlanta's outskirts, along with a South Carolina Republican who claimed a narrower-than-expected victory to retain a strongly Republican seat. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Representative-elect Karen Handel, R-Ga., right, kisses her husband Steve Handel before a ceremonial swearing-in on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, June 26, 2017. Handel, the Republican winner of the most expensive House race ever, is preparing to take her seat representing Atlanta's outskirts, along with a South Carolina Republican who claimed a narrower-than-expected victory to retain a strongly Republican seat. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

By Associated Press 2 min read

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Latest on new House members (all times EDT):

7 p.m.

The winner of the most expensive House race ever as well as a South Carolina Republican who claimed a narrower-than-expected victory are now members of Congress.

Monday evening’s swearing-in ceremony for Georgia Republican Karen Handel and Ralph Norman of South Carolina returns the House GOP majority to 241 seats after a string of special elections to replace lawmakers who joined President Donald Trump’s Cabinet.

Handel won a closely watched Georgia election by a 52-48 margin last week after a hard-fought campaign. Handel’s opponent, first-time candidate Jon Ossoff, raised $23 million for the race and narrowly led in most polls.