Republicans gain US Senate majority after wins in Ohio, West Virginia • Tennessee Lookout

(This story has been updated with additional details.)

Republicans have lost control of the U.S. Senate after picking up seats in Ohio and West Virginia, according to Associated Press projections, although there were too many uncalled House races Wednesday morning to predict which party will hold the chamber when it begins in January work of the new Congress.

The Montana Senate seat currently held by Democratic Sen. Jon Tester also appears to be shifting toward Republicans, which will likely increase their majority in the upper chamber over the next two years.

Highly competitive Senate races in Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have yet to be called, potentially further strengthening the GOP majority.

Senate Republican Whip John Thune of South Dakota, who is vying to become the chamber’s next GOP leader against Texas Sen. John Cornyn and Florida Sen. Rick Scott, issued a written statement applauding voters’ decision.

“Tonight, when Republicans regain majority control of the U.S. Senate, we can begin to turn the page on this costly and reckless chapter of American history,” Thune wrote. “While we await additional results, I am optimistic that President Trump will succeed, our majority will be stronger, and we can continue our work together to create a safer and more secure country for every American.”

In a written statement, Cornyn said he is “confident that our new conservative majority can return our institution to the important role it plays in our constitutional republic.”

“We will restore the important role of Senate committees and resume the regular appropriations process,” Cornyn wrote. “We will improve communication, increase transparency and tap into the wealth of talent at the conference to include everyone’s experiences and voices. And we will return power to the members; There will be no more backroom deals or forced votes on bills without sufficient time for review, debate and amendment.”

According to AP forecasts, among the newly elected Republican senators Bernie Moreno in Ohio, which changed its seat in that State; U.S. Rep. Jim Banks, who won his first Senate campaign in deep red Indiana; John Curtis, who assured victory in Utah; and West Virginia Governor Jim Justice, who turned the seat over currently owned by Joe Manchin III, as intended.

Among the new Democratic senators Angela Alsobrooks Maryland, New Jersey, USA Rep. Andy KimDelaware, US Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester and California, USA Representative Adam Schiffall of whom defeated GOP challengers in decidedly blue states.

How can this end

There were two possible scenarios for the 119th Congress, which was scheduled to begin on January 3, 2025, following the AP’s call for Senate control.

Democrats flipped the House of Representatives and Republicans took back the Senate, maintaining a divided Congress in which the opposing party controls each chamber.

Republicans retain their majority in the House and regain control of the Senate for unified GOP control.

Each option has major implications for the next president’s legislative agenda, his ability to quickly assemble a Cabinet through Senate confirmations and whether he can advance judicial nominations through the upper chamber, including possible Supreme Court nominees.

A divided Congress will require the next president to hold bipartisan negotiations on binding legislation and make concessions to the opposing party to get any major policy changes through Congress.

Unified control of Congress for Republicans could mean more legislative movement, although whether those bills become law will depend on who occupies the Oval Office.

Ahead of Senate confirmation

The Associated Press, the news organization that the state’s newsroom turns to for calls on race based on decades of experiencehas announced 27 Senate races as of 12:30 a.m. ET Wednesday.

Republican senators in Florida, Mississippi, MissouriNebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee, TexasAnd Wyoming easily won re-election in these GOP strongholds.

Democratic Senators from ConnecticutHawaii, MassachusettsMinnesota, New MexicoNew York, Rhode Island, Virginia And Washington all were re-elected, as was Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, who typically votes with Democrats.

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., congratulated Alsobrooks on her victory and making history as the first black woman from Maryland elected to the Senate.

“Angela is no stranger to breaking down barriers—and in the Senate, Angela will bring the same spirit and values ​​she has espoused throughout her life to ensure that all the freedoms of Marylanders are protected and every family in her state thrives,” Peters said in a written statement . .

Kim, from New Jersey, will be the first Korean-American Senate lawmaker in the country’s history.

National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Steve Daines congratulated the re-elected and new senators, including Justice, who flipped the West Virginia seat red.

“Jim served the people of West Virginia well as governor by lowering taxes and creating opportunity in every part of the state,” Daines said in a written statement. “I know he will continue to do the same in the Senate, and we look forward to seeing Big Jim and the Kid in Washington.”

Senate control is slightly more important to the next president than having his party lead the House, since the upper chamber is charged with vetting and confirming Cabinet secretaries, several key executive branch appointments, judicial nominees and Supreme Court justices.

Unlike the House of Representatives, where lawmakers face re-election or resignation every two years, senators are elected to six-year terms, meaning about one-third of the House’s members vote during a given election year.

There are 34 Senate seats up for re-election this year, 23 of which are held by Democrats and 11 controlled by Republicans.

House draw

As of 12 a.m. ET Wednesday, the AP had called 321 of the 435 House races, but many of the tossed-up races were still too close to determine a winner.

Incumbent Republicans and Democrats overwhelmingly held on to their districts, while several new members were elected to open seats. Some of these elected legislators were on their way to making history.

Sarah McBride, for example, was poised to become the nation’s first openly transgender person elected to Congress, according to the AP.

McBride secured the Democratic nomination in Delaware’s 1st Congressional District against Republican challenger John Whalen.

The Human Rights Campaign celebrated McBride’s victory.

The LGBTQ+ rights group’s president, Kelly Robinson, called McBride “a dedicated public servant, a bulldog for her constituents, and a person who represents the interests of all she serves,” in a written statement.

“This historic victory reflects not only the growing acceptance of transgender people in our society, fueled by the courage of visible leaders like Sarah, but also her hard work to demonstrate that she is an effective legislator who will achieve real results,” Robinson added.

Speaker Mike Johnson, Republican from Louisiana, won his re-electionpotentially allowing him to remain leader of his party if the GOP maintains its majority. Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who would become speaker if his party were to retake the House, also won re-election in his New York district.

Nonpartisan “Crystal Ball” Sabato of the University of Virginia Center for Politics wrote in an analysis of the fight for control of Congress released Monday that “the battle for the House of Representatives has been a toss-up all cycle” and what its experts generally expected: the winner of the presidency and The House of Representatives will most likely be the same.”

A total of 218 seats are needed to control the House, although that is the bare minimum for a House whose members routinely miss votes, take long leaves of absence due to illness or injury and sometimes resign mid-session.

Republican leaders have struggled over the past two years to pass party bills with a razor-thin majority that is currently split 220-212, and Democratic leadership is likely to do the same if they become the majority.

At-risk House lawmakers have not yet had to deal with any major upheaval, but attention has turned to several swing districts, including Arizona’s 1st and 6th Congressional Districts and Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District.

Other races to watch include Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, a seat the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is aiming to flip and which Sabato on Monday called a “lean Democrat.”

The same thing happened in Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District: a rematch that could “lean Democratic.”

This story is developing and will be updated.