Republicans gained control of the US Senate on Tuesday, securing key victories in West Virginia and Ohio. These wins mean that Donald Trump’s party will lead at least one chamber of Congress in the coming year, with further opportunities for gains still unfolding as additional results roll in.
Republican Jim Justice, a former Democrat-turned-Republican, captured West Virginia’s open Senate seat, previously held by Joe Manchin, a Democrat-turned-independent. In Ohio, Republican Bernie Moreno unseated incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown. With these two victories, Republicans ensured a narrow 51-49 majority in the Senate, a margin that could widen as more results emerge in other competitive states.
Beyond Senate control, Republicans also made headway in retaining their majority in the House of Representatives. Early gains have given the party hope of expanding its current 220-212 majority, though results in many districts are still pending. If successful, this dual-chamber control could allow Republicans to support Trump’s conservative judicial appointments and other government personnel if he wins the presidency or, alternatively, to serve as a formidable obstacle to Kamala Harris’s agenda should she prevail in the presidential race.
Key house victories and historic wins
Republicans won several strategically important seats in the House, including a Democratic-held district in Pennsylvania that encompasses Scranton, President Joe Biden’s hometown. The party also picked up seats in North Carolina, where Republican-led redistricting gave them an advantage. Meanwhile, Democrats managed to flip a few notable districts, including a Republican seat in upstate New York and an Alabama seat redrawn to create a Black majority, in compliance with a Supreme Court order.
One of the night’s historic victories was the election of Sarah McBride, a Democrat from Delaware, as the first openly transgender member of Congress. McBride’s win signifies a milestone in U.S. political history, further underscoring the diversity of this election cycle.
While Democrats need to flip at least six seats to gain control of the 435-seat chamber, no signs point to a “wave” election like those seen in 2010 or 2018 that might yield a decisive shift. With both parties holding at least 200 relatively safe seats, analysts predict a narrow majority for the eventual winner. This slim margin could lead to challenges in governance, as illustrated by Republican infighting in recent years, which has stymied efforts to advance party-wide objectives like spending cuts and tighter immigration policies.
High-stakes Senate races continue
Republicans have the chance to further widen their Senate majority in states like Montana, where Democrat Jon Tester is facing a tough reelection battle, as well as in a few competitive Midwestern states. However, they are unlikely to reach the 60-vote supermajority required to advance most legislation without bipartisan support.
In Texas, incumbent Republican Senator Ted Cruz was projected to hold his seat, successfully fending off Democrat Colin Allred. Meanwhile, in Nebraska, Republican Senator Deb Fischer faces a surprisingly close race against independent candidate Dan Osborn, whose Senate alignment remains unclear.
The Senate also reached a historic milestone on Tuesday: for the first time, two Black women will serve simultaneously. Democrat Lisa Blunt Rochester won her race in Delaware, and projections indicate Democrat Angela Alsobrooks will secure her seat in Maryland, marking an important moment of representation in the chamber.
House control remains uncertain, with tight races in New York and California set to play a decisive role. Both states, with heavily Democratic constituencies, could take days to finalize counts, as California has historically required extra time to tally ballots.
With the outcome in the House yet to be finalized, a narrow majority for either party could create legislative gridlock and complicate efforts to pass significant bills in the next term. Republicans have experienced such challenges over the past two years, as internal divisions and leadership struggles hampered their ability to push forward major legislative initiatives.
The coming days will reveal the full extent of Republican gains, with both chambers’ final balances shaping the legislative landscape for the upcoming term. As the dust settles, both parties face the prospect of governing with slim margins, ensuring that bipartisan collaboration—or lack thereof—will be key in the months ahead.
(With inputs from Reuters)