Republicans close in on control of Senate
The News
Republicans took back the Senate majority on Tuesday evening, capitalizing on a red-state-heavy map that allowed them to compete regardless of who won the presidency. And the implications are huge.
The party now will control lifetime judicial appointments for the next administration, including Supreme Court confirmations and have unilateral sway over the next president's Cabinet. If former President Donald Trump can secure victory, the GOP will be in position to reshape the federal judiciary and easily confirm his top nominees.
"Voters are trusting Senate Republicans with an extraordinary opportunity," said Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, who will likely become the GOP whip next year.
After Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., held her seat against a surprising insurgent candidate, Democrats ran out of paths to hold the Senate even as several critical races remain too close to call. Republican leaders quickly began touting their wins and hoping for more pickups, both in Democrats' Blue Wall states and out West.
It's a cathartic moment for Republicans, who lost the Senate in Georgia runoffs nearly two months after Election Day 2020, then lost a seat in a midterm election in 2022. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., piloted their campaign arm by working with Donald Trump but also aggressively intervening in party primaries.
"Politics is about addition, not subtraction, and so we're working with the broad spectrum of the Republican Party. But it started with working with President Trump. His support and endorsement of a candidate is the most powerful single endorsement," Daines said of Trump, who endorsed Daines' preferred candidates in Ohio and Montana earlier this year.
Democrats held out hope that they would improbably extend their majority into a six-year run despite having to defend two red seats and several purple states. Instead, after challengers to two sitting GOP senators fell flat, Republicans picked up the seat they needed in Ohio to give them the majority.
The loss by Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown was enough to ensure Republicans an outright majority in the chamber. Republicans could pad their advantage even further as the night goes on, with races outstanding in several battleground states as well as Montana.
"Chuck Schumer, if you're watching, thanks for the help in the primary. But you're fired, buddy," Moreno said in a victory speech. "This is a new dawn of Republican leadership."
Democrats started the night controlling 51 Senate seats, then immediately lost one in West Virginia and saw their top two pick-up opportunities fade away in Florida and Texas.
But the drama isn't over: Senate Republicans will plunge into another election. They will immediately turn to a contested leadership race next week among hopefuls to succeed Mitch McConnell as their leader, and they'll also choose their next conference chairman.
