Republicans win Senate control. What that means

Republicans have won control of the Senate, a potential boost for a Donald Trump presidency or a roadblock for Kamala Harris if she wins.

Odds have favored the GOP this entire election cycle, with all of the most competitive races in states represented by vulnerable Democratic senators. The retirement of Democrat-turned-independent Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia gave Republicans one clear pick-up in a ruby-red state.

Republicans only needed to win one more race to retake control of the chamber that is currently controlled 51-49 by Democrats. They managed to do that on Tuesday – and may flip even more seats before the night is over.

Ultimately, either Harris’ or Trump’s legislative ambitions on everything from taxes to health care and energy will depend on the makeup of the two chambers of Congress. The race for the House remains too close to call at this time with dozens of competitive races still uncalled.

What’s already clear from Tuesday’s election results is that the Senate will soon have a new Republican majority leader for the first time in a decade.

Sign-up for Your Vote: Text with the USA TODAY elections team.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-K.Y., who has led his fellow Republicans since 2007, plans to step down from leadership at the end of the year. Sens. John Thune, R-S.D., John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Rick Scott, R-Fla., are running to succeed him. The leadership election is slated to happen next week.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is expected to become the minority leader.

The Senate is solely responsible for confirming a president’s Cabinet officials and judges, from federal district courts up to the U.S. Supreme Court, where four of the nine justices will soon be in their 70s. A Republican-controlled Senate would make it harder for Harris to approve her preferred nominees and would would make it easier for Trump to approve his preferred nominees.

Republicans have been on offense in the 2024 election cycle, defending 11 seats compared with 23 for the Democrats. They successfully defended all 11, including two vulnerable seats in Texas and Florida.

Three-term incumbent Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown in Ohio lost to GOP candidate Bernie Moreno by 4 percentage points as of midnight with more than 95% of votes counted. Moreno owns a network of car dealerships and who had previously run in the Republican Senate primary in Ohio in 2022.

But it was the defeat of independent Senate candidate Dan Osborn that clinched the deal for Republicans. The Associated Press called the race in favor of incumbent Sen. Debbie Fischer, R-Neb., at 12:06 a.m. Wednesday, when Fischer was beating Osborn by 2 percentage points.

And there are more opportunities for Republicans to pick up additional seats.

All eyes have been on Montana, where Republican businessman and former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy leads incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Tester in Montana in early results. Trump won that state by 16 percentage points in 2020 and has been leaning increasingly Republican in recent years. That race has not yet been called.

Two-term incumbent Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisconsin, is trailing Eric Hovde, a businessman who owns a real estate development company and Sunwest Bank, by 2 percentage points with 77% of votes counted shortly after midnight. Hovde also ran in the state’s GOP Senate primary in 2012.

And U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., a former CIA analyst, is behind former Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, another former House member who chaired the House Intelligence Committee, by 5 percentage points with 47% of votes counted shortly after midnight.

Republicans win Senate control. What that means

About BHNEWS

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Related Posts

“I Couldn’t Handle It!”- Nicole Kidman Admits She Had To Pause Filming Racy Scenes As It Was ‘A Lot To Bear’

Avoid Leaving Chargers Plugged In

Man Mocked For Being With 252 LB Woman, Has The Perfect Response To Shut Haters Up

About BHNEWS

Leave a Reply Cancel reply