Democrats are expected to win at least 51 seats in the US Senate and take control of the upper chamber of Congress, according to a Bloomberg projection. The forecast comes amid a series of victories for the party in states that until recently were considered safe Republican territory.
Republicans began Election Day with 53 senators, while Democrats and the two independent senators who caucus with them held a total of 47 seats. A net gain of four seats was needed for a Democratic majority. The Associated Press reported Democratic victories in North Carolina, Texas, South Carolina and Ohio. James Talarico defeated Ken Paxton in Texas, Annie Andrews defeated Darlene Graham in South Carolina, and Sherrod Brown returned to the Senate after defeating Republican Jon Husted in Ohio.
Democrats also held on to key positions. Jon Ossoff was reelected in Georgia, while Chris Pappas won the Senate election in New Hampshire to replace retiring Democrat Jeanne Shaheen. According to the Associated Press, these results put the party on the threshold of a majority, but some of the races have not yet been finally decided.
What the projection means
If Bloomberg's projection is confirmed, Democrats will gain control of the Senate's agenda and take over the committee chairmanships. This will give them the ability to block or delay initiatives by President Donald Trump, as well as strengthen congressional oversight of his administration.
A majority of 51 seats is sufficient for independent control, as Vice President JD Vance can cast the deciding vote in the event of a tie in favor of the Republicans. The Associated Press defines 51 seats as the threshold for Democrats and 50 for Republicans under the current party distribution.
„South Carolina, you showed the nation what is possible,“ Annie Andrews told her supporters after her victory. She added that she would stand up for the state's interests, even when that meant disagreeing with members of her own party.
The fight for the House remains unresolved
Americans voted for all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, but the outcome of the battle for a majority there has still not been finally determined. Democrats have won several Republican-held seats and need a net gain of three seats to take control of the lower chamber.
Alongside the congressional elections, gubernatorial elections are also being held in 36 states. In Georgia, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms won the governorship for the party for the first time since 1998.
Vote counting continues, and the Associated Press notes that it does not project control of Congress and declares a winner only when there is no longer a realistic scenario in which the result could change.
Sources: apnews.com