Republicans picked up nine seats in the 100-member House on Election Day and then padded their lead the next day when then-Democratic Rep. Jeff Wardlaw of Hermitage announced his party switch.
With Hillman's announcement, Republicans now control 75 seats in the House and have the three-fourths majority needed to pass appropriations bills without any support from Democrats. The Democrats narrowly avoided having Republicans pick up a supermajority in the Senate, where they control 24 of the 35 seats after picking up two on Nov. 8.