WASHINGTON — Republicans took control of the U.S. Senate after taking seats in Ohio and West Virginia, according to projections by The Associated Press, although there were too many uncalled House races early Wednesday to predict which party will hold the chamber when The fresh Congress will start in January.
The Montana Senate seat, currently held by Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, also appeared to be shifting toward Republicans, likely increasing their majority in the upper chamber for the next two years.
Highly competitive Senate races in Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have yet to be called, potentially further strengthening the GOP majority.
Republican Sen. Whip John Thune of South Dakota, who is running to become the next GOP leader in the chamber against Texas Sen. John Cornyn and Florida Sen. Rick Scott, issued a written statement praising voters’ decision.
“Tonight, as Republicans regain majority control of the U.S. Senate, we can begin to turn the page on this costly and reckless chapter of American history,” Thune wrote. “As we wait for additional results, I am optimistic that President Trump will be successful, our majority will become stronger, and we can continue our work together to create a safer country for every American.”
Cornyn said in a written statement that he is “confident that our new conservative majority can restore our institution to the essential role it plays in our constitutional republic.”
“We will restore the important role of Senate committees and restore a regular appropriations process,” Cornyn wrote. “We will improve communication, increase transparency and leverage the wealth of talent present at the conference to incorporate the knowledge and opinions of all participants. And we will return power to the members; “There will be no more backroom agreements or forced votes on bills without adequate time for review, debate and amendment.”
According to AP forecasts, the newly elected Republican senators include: Bernie Moreno in Ohio, which changed the seat of that state; U.S. Representative Jim Banks, who he won his first Senate campaign in deep-red Indiana; John Curtis who ensured victory in Utah; and West Virginia Governor Jim Justice, who he knocked over the seat currently held by Joe Manchin III, as expected.
The fresh Democratic senators include: Angela Alsobrooks from Maryland, New Jersey, USA Rep. Andy KimDelaware US Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester and California USA Representative Adam Schiffall of whom defeated GOP challengers in heavily blue states.
How this could play out
There were two possible scenarios for the 119th Congress, which was scheduled to begin on Jan. 3, 2025, after the AP called for the Senate to take control.
- Democrats flip the House and Republicans take back the Senate, keeping Congress divided with the opposing party controlling each chamber.
- Republicans maintain a majority in the House of Representatives and regain control of the Senate, ensuring unified GOP control.
Each option carries significant implications for the next president’s legislative agenda, his ability to quickly assemble a cabinet through Senate confirmation, and whether he would be able to advance judicial nominations through the upper chamber, including possible Supreme Court nominees.
A divided Congress would require the next president to negotiate bipartisan agreements on mandatory legislation and make concessions with the opposing party in order to pass any major policy changes through Congress.
Unified control of Congress for Republicans could mean more legislative moves, although whether those bills become law will depend on who occupies the Oval Office.
Senate confirmations ahead
The Associated Press, the news organization that States Newsroom uses to look for race calls decades of experienceannounced that there will be 27 Senate races on Wednesday at 12:30 a.m. EST.
Republican senators in Florida, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee, Texas AND Wyoming he easily won re-election in these GOP strongholds.
Democrat senators from ConnecticutHawaii, MassachusettsMinnesota, New MexicoNew York, Rhode Island, Virginia AND Washington all were re-elected, as was independent Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, who typically votes with Democrats.
The chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan, congratulated Alsobrooks on her victory and making history as the first black woman from Maryland elected to the Senate.
“Angela is no stranger to breaking down barriers, and to the Senate, Angela will bring the same determination and values she has embraced throughout her life to ensure the freedom of all Marylanders is protected and every family in her state thrives,” Peters said in a written statement .
Kim, from New Jersey, will become the first-ever Korean-American member of the Senate.
National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Steve Daines congratulated re-elected and fresh senators, including the judge who turned West Virginia’s seat red.
“Jim has served West Virginians well by lowering taxes and creating opportunity in all parts of the state,” Daines said in a written statement. “I know he will continue to do the same in the Senate, and we look forward to having Big Jim and Baby Dog in Washington.”
For the next president, control of the Senate is slightly more critical than his party’s management of the House, because the upper house is tasked with vetting and confirming cabinet secretaries, several key executive branch nominees, judicial nominees and Supreme Court justices.
Unlike the House, where lawmakers face re-election or retirement every two years, senators are elected to six-year terms, which means about one-third of the chamber is on the ballot in a given election year.
There were 34 Senate seats up for re-election this year, with 23 held by Democrats and 11 controlled by Republicans.
House flipping races
The AP called 331 of 435 House races as of 12:30 a.m. Eastern Wednesday, but many tossed races were still too close to determine a winner.
Republican and Democratic party officials overwhelmingly retained their districts, and several fresh members were elected to open seats. Some of the elected lawmakers were well on their way to making history.
According to the AP, Sarah McBride, for example, was expected to become the nation’s first openly transgender person elected to Congress.
McBride has secured the Democratic nomination for Delaware’s 1st Congressional District against Republican challenger John Whalen.
The Human Rights Campaign celebrated McBride’s victory.
The president of the LGBTQ+ advocacy group, Kelley Robinson, in a written statement called McBride “a dedicated public servant, a bulldog to her constituents and someone who represents the interests of all she serves.”
“This historic victory reflects not only the growing acceptance of transgender people in our society, spearheaded by the courage of visible leaders like Sarah, but also her tenacious work to demonstrate that she is an effective legislator who will deliver real results,” Robinson added.
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., won re-electionpotentially making him remain the leader of his party if the GOP maintains its majority. Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who would become speaker if his party regained the House, also safely won re-election in his New York district.
The nonpartisan Sabato Crystal Ball of the University of Virginia Policy Center wrote in an analysis of the fight for control of Congress released Monday that “the fight for the House was a losing battle for essentially the entire cycle” and that its experts generally expected: “It was more likely that the winner of the presidential election and the winners of the House of Representatives will be the same.”
A total of 218 seats are needed to control the House, although that is the bare minimum in a chamber where members regularly miss votes, take extended leave due to illness or injury, and sometimes resign mid-session.
Republican leaders have struggled to pass partisan bills over the past two years with razor-thin majorities, currently split 220 to 212, and Democratic leaders would likely do so as well if they became the majority.
Lawmakers in the troubled House haven’t yet experienced any major upsets, but eyes have turned to several swing districts, including Arizona’s 1st and 6th congressional districts and Pennsylvania’s 10th congressional district.
Other races worth watching include Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, a seat selected by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for flipping that was described by Sabato’s on Monday as a “lean Democrat.”
It was the same in the case of Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District – a rematch that could “slim Democrats.”
