Republicans are to reclaim control of the US Senate, picking up seats in West Virginia and Ohio in US elections on Tuesday as former US president Donald Trump exceeded 270 electoral college votes to book a return to the White House.
In the US House of Representatives, there were close contests in New York and California, where Democrats were trying to claw back some of the seats they have lost in the past few years, although the Republicans looked set to retain a majority there as well.
At press time last night, The Associated Press had the Republicans on 197 House seats, with 218 required for a majority, while the Democratic Party had 179.
Photo: AP
Trump hailed Republican wins in down-ballot races in a speech early yesterday morning in West Palm Beach, Florida.
“The number of victories in the Senate was absolutely incredible,” Trump said.
Republicans had won 51 seats, giving the party a majority, although Montana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Nevada had not been called.
It was possible that Republicans could pick up more seats.
Trump said that he expected Republicans to hold the House and complimented House Speaker Mike Johnson, despite that contest not being decided at the time.
There were more than 70 House races across the US that had not been called. One seat had switched in favor of the Republican Party.
US Senator Deb Fischer’s re-election in Nebraska secured the Republican Senate majority, taking the party’s tally to 51 seats.
Republicans are to retake control of the chamber, giving it power to confirm Trump’s Cabinet, as well as any US Supreme Court justices if a vacancy opens.
With a handful of battleground races yet to be decided, Republicans still had an opportunity to increase the majority.
Republican senators have already been looking at ways to extend tax cuts that were passed during Trump’s first term from 2017 to 2021, as well as toughening border security measures.
US Senator Ted Cruz claimed victory in Texas, saying that he considered his win over US Representative Colin Allred a mandate for stronger enforcement along the US-Mexico border.
During a victory speech in front of supporters in his hometown of Houston, Cruz praised strong support from Hispanic voters.
He singled out South Texas, where Cruz was performing much better in large border counties than he did during a narrow victory in 2018.
“Tonight we are witnessing incredible results, especially with Hispanics across the state of Texas,” Cruz told the crowd. “And we are seeing tonight generational change in South Texas. The results tonight, this decisive victory should shake the Democratic establishment to its core.”
Bernie Moreno is to be the first Latino that Ohio has sent to the Senate, thanks to the Republican’s victory over US Senator Sherrod Brown.
Moreno was born in Bogota. He moved with his family to the US at age five and became a US citizen when he was 18.
He built his fortune as a luxury car dealer and blockchain entrepreneur, and is to be one of the Senate’s wealthiest members.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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