Republicans won seats in the US Senate with victories in Montana, Ohio and West Virginia, ensuring that Donald Trump's party will control at least one of the chambers of Congress next year, reported Reuters.
Republicans will have a majority of at least 52 to 48 in the US Senate. They added three seats to their 220 to 212 in the House of Representatives as well, although the outcome of 40 of the 435 congressional races is still unclear and it is not yet known which of the two parties will control the lower house.
If Republicans end up winning the House, they will be in a position to dictate the agenda in Washington, helping Trump fulfill his promise to cut taxes and limit immigration, at least for the next two years until the midterms elections in 2026
The results also ensured that Senate Republicans would be able to help Trump, who clinched a comeback victory over Democrat Kamala Harris, appoint conservative judges and other government officials.
Republican Tim Sheehy edged out Democrat Sen. Jon Tester in Montana, and West Virginia Republican Gov. Jim Justice took Democrat-turned-independent Joe Manchin's Senate seat. In Ohio, Republican Bernie Moreno was expected to defeat third-term incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown.
Republicans have a chance to increase their Senate majority even further as their candidates lead incumbent Democrats in Pennsylvania and Nevada.
Regardless, Republicans will not secure the 60-vote absolute majority needed to pass most bills in the House.
Wisconsin Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin defeated Trump-backed Republican challenger Eric Hovdy and won a third six-year term, Edison predicted last night.
A liberal Democrat, Baldwin, 62, has campaigned as an advocate for abortion rights and for working families hurt by the inflationary effects of what she calls “corporate greed”. She was leading against Hovdi in opinion polls by a narrow margin.
The Senate will also have two black women serving simultaneously for the first time, as Democrat Lisa Blunt Rochester won in Delaware and Democrat Angela Alsobrooks won in Maryland.