DEVELOPING STORYDEVELOPING STORY,
Catherine Cortez Masto’s victory in Nevada gives Democrats the 50 seats they need to keep the Senate.
US President Joe Biden’s Democrats have retained control of the Senate after Catherine Cortez Masto won re-election in the state of Nevada.
The incumbent senator’s narrow victory over Republican challenger Adam Laxalt on Saturday gave the Democratic Party the 50 seats it needs for an effective majority.
Vice President Kamala Harris will be able to break any ties in the 100-member chamber.
With the results in Nevada decided, Georgia is the only state where both parties are still competing for a Senate seat.
In Georgia, Democratic incumbent Senator Raphael Warnock will face Republican challenger Herschel Walker in a December 6 runoff.
A victory for Warnock would expand the Democrat’s majority to 51-49.
It was still unclear which party would control the House of Representatives as counting continued in razor-tight races in California and a smattering of other states.
Cortez Masto’s win reflects the surprising strength of Democrats across the US this election year. Seeking reelection in an economically challenged state that has some of the highest fuel prices in the country, Cortez Masto was considered the Senate’s most vulnerable member, adding to the frustration of Republicans who were confident she could be defeated.
Democratic control of the Senate ensures a smoother process for Biden’s Cabinet appointments and judicial picks, including those for potential Supreme Court openings.
The party will also keep control over committees and have the power to conduct investigations or oversight of the Biden administration, and will be able to reject legislation sent over by the House if the Republicans win that chamber.
If Democrats manage to pull off a win in the House, it would mean full control of Congress for Democrats – and another chance to advance Biden’s priorities, which he has said include codifying abortion rights.
The Senate fight hinged on a handful of deeply contested seats. Both parties spent tens of millions of dollars in Pennsylvania, Arizona, Nevada and Georgia, the top battlegrounds where Democrats had hoped that Republicans’ decision to nominate untested candidates — many backed by former President Donald Trump — would help them defy national headwinds.
Democrats scored a big win in Pennsylvania, where John Fetterman defeated celebrity heart surgeon Dr Mehmet Oz, who was endorsed by Trump, to pick up a seat currently held by a Republican. Arizona Senator Mark Kelly won reelection by about 5 percentage points, defeating Republican Blake Masters, who was endorsed by Trump. Masters has not conceded the race.
Trump had also backed Laxalt, the Republican challenger, in Nevada.
“We got a lot done and we’ll do a lot more for the American people,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Saturday night. “The American people rejected — soundly rejected — the anti-democratic, authoritarian, nasty and divisive direction the MAGA Republicans wanted to take our country.”
More soon…