Republicans claimed control of the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, following wins in West Virginia and Ohio, ensuring that Donald Trump’s party will lead at least one chamber of Congress in the coming term.
The House of Representatives remains up for grabs, with Republicans holding a slim majority. Republican victories could position the party to support Trump’s potential agenda, including conservative judicial and executive appointments, if he wins the presidential race.
The shift began with Republican Jim Justice securing an open Senate seat in West Virginia, previously held by Joe Manchin, a Democrat-turned-independent. In Ohio, major U.S. news outlets projected Republican Bernie Moreno’s win over incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown. These two wins guaranteed a Republican majority in the Senate at 51-49, with additional gains possible as votes from other competitive states are finalized.
In the House, Republicans made progress toward retaining control of their 220-212 majority, picking up three seats in North Carolina through redrawn district lines favoring the party. Meanwhile, Democrats gained a Republican-held seat in Alabama, newly redistricted by a U.S. Supreme Court mandate to establish a Black-majority constituency.
Democrats now face the challenge of flipping at least six seats to secure a House majority, out of a total of 435 seats.
Republicans also have a chance to expand their Senate majority in states like Montana, where Democrat Jon Tester faces a tough reelection, as well as other key Midwestern races.
