Republicans have won control of the Senate after flipping several Democrat-held seats red in critical states. The Associated Press projected the GOP gained control of the 100-member chamber after losing power four years ago.Trump’s party was able to muster enough enthusiasm in a couple of critical races to topple the Democrats’ slim 51-49 majority. Republican Jim Justice captured outgoing Independent Sen. Joe Manchin’s seat in West Virginia and GOP’s Bernie Moreno ousting Sherrod Brown in Ohio put Republicans on the path to power. Those two flips were enough to give the GOP the outright majority as several other race results are still incoming.Incumbent GOP Sen. Deb Fischer was able to stave off a challenge from Independent Dan Osborn in Nebraska, solidifying the Senate shift to the Republicans. Republicans now have control of the Senate after sweeping wins across battleground statesThe new Republican majority will take power in January 2025 shortly before the presidential inauguration. With the balance of power now firmly with Senate Republicans, the party will have sweeping new powers. The most important of which is their ability to chose which legislation comes up for a vote and which does not see the light of day. Republicans are believed to try and pass an extension for Donald Trump’s tax cuts among other pet projects once in the majority come January 2025.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s leadership stint will now be ceded to Republicans, who will elect their own majority leader in coming weeks. Longtime chief Mitch McConnell decided to step aside after 17 years guiding the Senate GOP.West Virginia, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Texas all had contests that shuffled the makeup of Congress with each race bearing unique distinction. Most of the wins were expected, however some were thought to be a long shot.
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Republicans will now grip the reigns of power and be able to decide the tempo, the topic and temperament of legislation winding its way through the deliberative process. Democrats had expected a difficult time trying maintaining the chamber because of crucial retirements and changing demographics.But the runaway Republican railroad victory of this magnitude was far from anticipated.
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Republican senate candidate, Dave McCormick greets supporters at a campaign rally on October 30, 2024 in Pennsburg, Pennsylvania West Virginia Democratic Senate candidate Glenn Elliott and Republican opponent Gov. Jim JusticeWest Virginia West Virginia moderate Democrat Joe Manchin, long a protector of the filibuster and a foe of punitive energy reforms, announced his retirement last year.As the state has trended more conservative in recent years, the Senate race there was always thought to be a shoe-in for anyone with ‘Republican’ next to their name. More or less that’s what happened and the hugely popular former West Virginia Governor Jim Justice easily won the contest against Democrat Glenn Elliott.That victory right there, a first of the night, was a layup for the GOP and tied the control of the Senate 50-50. OhioWhat may have come as a surprise was Ohio businessman Bernie Moreno’s win over longtime incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, who was, up until late August, polling with a comfortable lead. Showing from left, Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Republican opponent Bernie Moreno
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Republican West Virginia Governor Governor Jim Justice (R) attends with his dog Babydog Justice (L) looks on during the second day of the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee, WisconsinSimilar to Montana, Ohio has been trending rightward in recent elections. Having gone for Obama in 2008 and 2012, the Buckeye State backed Trump in 2016 and 2020. Moreno, 57, a former auto and crypto business owner, secured Ohio’s second Senate seat under Republican control.Having gone for Obama in 2008 and 2012, the Buckeye State backed Trump in 2016 and 2020. And with that padded the freshly minted GOP Senate control with another seat, making it a 52-48 margin. With West Virginia and Ohio called for the Republicans, the GOP’s grip on the Senate grew to a 51-50 split.
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MontanaWay up north, the rapidly growing rural state has voted to flip a seat and oust incumbent Democrat Jon Tester who had served in the seat since 2007.Sheehy, 38, is a Montana businessman married with four children who led Tester in the polls most of the race. He will be one of the youngest members of the chamber once sworn in. Despite Tester’s longstanding stance as a moderate Democrat, the state has veered more conservative in the Trump era. The ex-president won the state by 20 points in 2016, but surprisingly the Democrat still won reelection in 2018 by just under 20,000 votes. This time around, Sheehy and Tester are battling it out for control. The race was still to be called as of midnight on November 6.
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Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump listens as Montana Senate candidate Tim Sheehy speaks at a campaign rally in Bozeman, Montana, August 9TexasIn Texas, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz overcame his challenge from Democratic Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas, a former NFL player. That race had narrowed significantly in the weeks before Election Day, and many thought that Texas’ changing demographics could push the liberal across the line. However, the longtime senator and former U.S. presidential candidate stuck it out in the end. Allred ran a moderate campaign focusing on Cruz’s conservative stances on abortion and connections to Trump. A Democrat has not won a state-wide election in Texas in 30 years. Holding onto his seat, Cruz defended the position and fought off what Democrats thought could be one of their best and only pick-up chances this year. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas and Democratic opponent, Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas Democratic Senate candidate Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas, greets supporters during a walk event on October 26, 2024 in Houston, Texas
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WisconsinIn closely divided Wisconsin, incumbent Democrat Tammy Baldwin is fending off a challenge from Republican Eric Hovde. Baldwin has held the seat since 2013 and the battleground state that has gone back and forth for Trump was believed to be a potential pick up for the GOP. The split between the two has been ultra-thin. In the last 30 years only one other Republican has won a Senate seat in Wisconsin, that being Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., who has served since 2011. The race was still to be called as of midnight on November 6. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and opponent Republican Wisconsin Senate candidate Eric Hovde
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Wisconsin Senate candidates Republican Eric Hovde and Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin shake hands before a televised debate Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, in Madison, WisconsinArizonaIn Arizona, where former gubernatorial candidate and conservative firebrand Kari Lake is running against Democrat Rep. Ruben Gallego, a veteran of the War in Iraq, Democrats were able to maintain a seat often under their control. The seat is currently held by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Airz., who for a longtime was a Democrat before changing party identification in December 2022.Sinema often sided with the Democrats but having Gallego win means that Arizona will be a more reliably blue bastion. Its other Senate seat is held by Democrat Mark Kelly, a former NASA astronaut who won the seat in 2022. Lake, a former TV anchor and firebrand debater, has become a close ally of Donald Trump. She previously ran for Governor of the state in 2022 but lost to Democrat Katie Hobbs. The race was yet to be called as of midnight on November 6. Republican Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake and opponent Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Arizona
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Pennsylvania In Pennsylvania, former gubernatorial candidate turned Senate candidate Dave McCormick took his shot against veteran Democrat Sen. Bob Casey. The Democrat is the son of former Pennsylvania governor Bob Casey Sr.McCormick has been a familiar face in Republican politics in the Key Stone state in recent years though, and was not a total outsider. He previously ran in the state’s primary for U.S. Senate and narrowly lost to celebrity Dr. Mehmet Oz. Oz later went on to lose the Senate race to Democrat Sen. John Fetterman.The race was yet to be called as of midnight on November 6. Republican Pennsylvania Senate candidate David McCormick, left, and opponent Democratic Sen. Bob Casey
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MichiganIn Michigan Rep. Elise Slotkin, D-Mich., is in a tough race with former congressman Republican Mike Rogers. Rogers was at Donald Trump’s final campaign rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, until 2am local time. The Senate seat is being vacated by longtime Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., who was Michigan’s first women senator. She first won the position in 2000. Slotkin, 48, is striving to become the state’s second. Democratic Sen. Gary Peters is the other state representative in the Senate.The state was thought to be a reliably lean Democrat state until recent polls showed Rogers within striking distance.The race was still to be called as of midnight on November 6.
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Republican Michigan Senate candidate Mike Rogers and opponent Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-MichNebraskaIn the Cornhusker State, incumbent Republican Sen. Deb Fischer is in a neck-and-neck race with Independent candidate Dan Osborn. Osborn, a former Democrat and union leader, ran one of the most competitive races yet against the Republican in the traditionally red state. His positioning as an ‘average Joe’ helped him make inroads with Independents weary of Trump and the GOP. Some surveys even showed Osborn ahead. The Associated Press called the race for Fischer just after midnight on November 6.
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Independent Nebraska Senate candidate Dan Osborn, left, and opponent, Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Nebraska