Two Utah House races that Democrats led on election night have flipped back to Republicans as vote counting continues, Utah News Dispatch reported Nov. 5.

The shift narrows Democratic gains slightly. But the Republican supermajority in the Utah House of Representatives is still on track to break for the first time in more than three decades.

As we reported Nov. 4, Senate Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore trails Democrat Shana Anderson in the Senate District 19 race. That margin has held. Anderson led Cullimore by more than 13 percentage points as of the Nov. 5 update, according to Utah News Dispatch.

Two House races flip

In House District 59, covering Summit and Wasatch counties, Republican Luke Searle overtook Democrat Celeste Johnson. Searle led with about 51.5% of the vote, ahead by 465 votes as of Nov. 5, according to Utah News Dispatch. Johnson had led on election night.

The seat was held by Republican Rep. Mike Kohler, who did not run for reelection.

In House District 4, covering Morgan, Rich and Summit county areas, Republican incumbent Rep. Tiara Auxier pulled ahead of Democrat Zane Woolstenhulme. Auxier had 50.55% to Woolstenhulme's 49.45%, a margin of 141 votes.

Both races remain too close to call. Thousands of votes have yet to be tallied, and results will not be final until the county and state canvass, two weeks after the election.

Supermajority still at stake

On election night, Democrats and unaffiliated candidates led in 17 House races. With the two flips, Republicans now trail in 15, according to Utah News Dispatch.

Republicans need at least 50 of the chamber's 75 seats to keep a two-thirds supermajority, according to Gephardt Daily. Losing it would mean House Republicans could no longer override gubernatorial vetoes or advance proposed constitutional amendments without support from other lawmakers.

Unofficial statewide returns showed Democrats leading in 27 House districts, Republicans ahead in 46 and unaffiliated candidates leading in two, Gephardt Daily reported.

SD-19 and Senate leadership

Cullimore, who represents Senate District 19, had been considered a potential successor to outgoing Senate President Stuart Adams. Adams lost his Republican primary earlier this year, according to Utah News Dispatch.

Before the election, Cullimore and Sen. Evan Vickers, a Republican from Cedar City, were competing to replace Adams as Senate president, according to Utah News Dispatch. The Senate Republican caucus was set to choose its new leaders at a meeting Nov. 6, ABC4 reported in October.

In coverage published Nov. 4, Utah News Dispatch reported that Cullimore did not return a request for comment. Anderson said she had not heard from him and he had not called to concede.

Anderson, a U.S. Army veteran, said she was not claiming victory yet, noting votes remained to be tallied, according to Utah News Dispatch.

Other tight Senate race

Another Senate contest has seesawed. Incumbent Sen. Emily Buss, the Forward Party's only state legislator, led on election night but now trails Republican challenger Brooks Benson. Benson had 50.36% to Buss' 49.64% as of Nov. 5, a margin of 169 votes, according to Utah News Dispatch.

Salt Lake and Utah counties continue processing large numbers of ballots, with additional results expected in the coming days. All results remain unofficial.