Voters race to the ballot boxes to vote for congressional leaders on Election Day
Republicans and Democrats are battling it out on Election Day, Nov. 5, 2024, for control of the U.S. Congress and House of Representatives. Fox News Digital is providing updates on Election Day results in real-time.
Coverage for this event has ended.
The Fox News Decision Desk can project that Republicans will take control of the Senate.
The party will hold at least 51 seats, enough for an outright majority.
The tipping point seat is Nebraska, where Fox News projects that Republican incumbent Senator Deb Fischer will defeat independent challenger Dan Osborn.
It’s not yet clear who will serve as the next Senate majority leader.
Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who is the longest serving Senate leader in history, announced earlier this year that he would step down
As of nearly 3am ET on Wednesday morning, the Associated Press is projecting 189 seats being captured by House Republicans and 165 by Democrats.
The first side to reach 217 seats will win control of the House of Representatives.
Assuming all outstanding races that Fox News Power Rankings say are solidly Republican, the GOP just needs to win 18 more seats to hit that threshold.
Republicans do have slight edges in several key House races in Pennsylvania, Alaska, and California.
Republicans officially reclaimed the Senate majority, picking up seats in both West Virginia and Ohio and retaining all their incumbents.
Going into the 119th Congress, Republicans will be in a good position to push through President-elect Trump's agenda, provided they keep control of the House.
The Senate Republicans can still pick up several more Senate seats in swing states where votes are still be counted, thereby expanding their majority.
Fox News Digital's Julia Johnson contributed to this report
New Mexico Democrat Rep. Gabriel Vazquez won his bid for reelection in the state's second congressional district. Vazquez defeated Republican opponent Yvette Herrell, the AP reported.
Vazquez will hold onto his seat for a second term.
Vasquez and Herrell previously squared off in the 2022 election cycle, when Vasquez won by less than 1%. Vasquez has represented New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District, which encompasses Las Cruces and a southern portion of Albuquerque, since 2023. The race was considered a toss-up, with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) identifying the district as vulnerable for defeat against Republican challengers this election cycle.
Fox News' Emma Colton contributed to this post.
Democrat Rep. Jahana Hayes won her bid for reelection in Connecticut's 5th Congressional District, the AP reported.
Hayes won her fourth term representing Connecticut against former Republican state Sen. George Lopez.
They had previously come head-to-head back in 2022.
“You guys did this. You organized, you mobilized, you showed up, you brought your family, you brought your friends. You did this,” she told the crowd in Waterbury, the AP reported.
The Associated Press contributed to this post.
A top border-district Democrat is projected to win reelection to the U.S. House.
Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, a moderate Democrat, is expected to hold his seat in Texas' 28th Congressional District, the Associated Press projects.
Cuellar was running against Republican Jay Furman, a political newcomer and Navy veteran who is the incumbent’s first challenger since being indicted on bribery charges in May.
The election is Cuellar’s first since he and his wife were accused of accepting nearly $600,000 in bribes from an Azerbaijan-controlled energy company and a bank in Mexico.
The charges gave Furman room to make his case in the 28th Congressional District, where Cuellar first took office in 2005.
However, the seat drew less attention this cycle from the GOP than in 2022, when a multimillion-dollar challenge still ended in a decisive Cuellar victory.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Now that the Fox News decision desk has projected that Donald Trump will win the presidency and Republicans are projected to take control of the Senate, all eyes now turn to the House of Representatives.
The Fox News Decision Desk believes that the House is a coin flip. If Republicans can retain control of the House they will have full control of the federal government. The road to a majority will likely come down to just a few races.
Curtis Hertel (D) versus Tom Barrett (R) in Michigan-07
The race to replace Democrat Elissa Slotkin in Michigan’s 7th congressional district was considered a toss-up. Currently, Republican candidate Tom Barrett is leading Democratic incumbent Rep. Curtis Hertel, 54.7 percent to 42 percent, with 67 percent of the vote having been counted. AP has not called this race.
Rep. Jared Golden (D) versus Austin Theriault (R) in Maine-02
Democratic Rep. Jared Golden is currently narrowly trailing his Republican challenger Austin Theriault in Maine’s 2nd congressional district. With 45 percent of the vote having Theriault is leading 50.4 percent to Golden’s 49.3 percent.
Rep. Susan Wild (D) versus Ryan Mackenzie (R) in Pennsylvania-07
Democratic incumbent Rep. Susan Wild is currently trailing her challenger Republican Ryan Mackenzie 51 percent to 49 percent with 97 percent of the vote having been counted.
Rep. Matt Cartwright (D) versus Robert Bresnahan (R) in Pennsylvania-08
With 98 percent of the vote having been counted Republican challenger Robert Bresnahan is leading Democratic incumbent Rep. Matt Cartwright by 2.2 point, indicating he may flip the seat red.
Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R) versus Kirsten Engel (D) in Arizona-06
Rep. Juan Ciscomani, the Republican incumbent in Arizona congressional district 6, is currently well behind his Democratic challenger Kirsten Engel, 52.9 to 45.2 percent.
New York Democrat candidate Josh Riley defeated Republican incumbent Marcus Molinaro for New York's 19th Congressional District, according to the AP.
The battle for New York’s 19th Congressional District – spanning parts of upstate New York, the Hudson Valley and distant suburbs outside New York City and Albany – was among the most expensive in the country.
Both sides and their allies spent more than $35 million on digital and TV ads, Politico reported in September.
Fox News' Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this post.
Democrat Frank Mrvan is projected reelection to U.S. House in Indiana’s 1st Congressional District, according to the Associated Press.
Mrvan won election to Congress in 2020, defeating his GOP challenger, Mark Leyva, by nearly 53,000 votes. He was re-elected to his post in the 2022 cycle, defeating Jennifer-Ruth Green by a little more than 12,000 votes.
His Republican challenger this cycle, Randy Niemeyer previously served for 12 years, 10 as president, on the Cedar Lake Town Council. That experience, along with the lessons he learned from it, is something he often reflects on as he seeks to earn trust and support from voters ahead of the general election.
Democrat Maggie Goodlander, wife of Biden National Security Adviser Jacob Sullivan, is projected to win election to U.S. House in New Hampshire’s 2nd Congressional District, the Associated Press reports.
Goodlander, a former deputy assistant attorney general in the Biden Justice Department, defeated Republican Lily Tang Williams.
Tang Williams, who was born in China, and Goodlander held an oft-contentious debate recently, where she lambasted the Democrat over her wealth.
"You are wealthy. You are worth $20 million to $30 million. How do you know about regular people's suffering?” Tang Williams said.
Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz thanked Alexis Nungaray - a mother whose daughter was allegedly killed by illegal immigrants - during his victory speech shortly after defeating Democratic congressman Colin Allred.
"I also want to give a special thank shout-out to Alexis Nungaray," Cruz said. "Alexis, thank you for your incredible courage. Speaking out for your precious, precious Jocelyn and your courage has made such a profound difference in this nation."
Nungaray's daughter, 12-year-old Jocelyn, was found dead in a Houston creek on June 17.
Two Venezuelan nationals – 21-year-old Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel and 26-year-old Franklin Jose Peña Ramos – were charged with capital murder in relation to her death. The two men reportedly crossed illegally into the U.S. earlier this year.
Cruz won his last re-election effort in 2018, beating Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke. Cruz has represented the Lone Star State in the upper chamber of Congress since 2013.
Fox News' Stephen Sorace and Brooke Singman contributed to this post.
Republican Rep. Zach Nunn won his reelection bid in Iowa's 3rd Congressional District against Democrat opponent Lanon Baccam, according to the AP.
Baccam previously had a 7-point lead over incumbent Nunn, according to the Des Moines, Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll, with 48% of voters in the third congressional district showing preference to the Democratic candidate.
Nunn previously served in the Air Force Reserve while Baccam, an Army veteran, previously worked as a former federal Agriculture Department official.
Republican Thomas Kean Jr. wins reelection to U.S. House in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, the Associated Press projects.
Kean, son of former Gov. Tom Kean, was fighting for reelection in what is likely the closest congressional contest in New Jersey.
The district, in the otherwise reliably blue Garden State, includes former President Trump's Bedminster club, and is geopolitically connected to Pennsylvania's "swing" Lehigh Valley region which lies across the Delaware River from Phillipsburg.
Kean faced Democrat Sue Altman, the former head of a progressive political party. He formerly served in the Trenton legislature for decades before successfully unseating Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski last cycle.
Republican Rep. Nick LaLota has won his re-elect in New York’s 1st congressional district, a suburban district that is important for Republicans to hold onto their majority in the House.
AP called the race in LaLota’s favor with him winning 55.7 percent of the vote over his Democratic challenger John Avlon’s 44.3 percent. Avlon is an ex-CNN anchor.
This will be LaLota’s second term in Congress.
California Democrat Rep. Maxine Waters secured her reelection bid in California's 43rd Congressional District, according to the AP.
Waters defeated Republican opponent and small business owner Steve Williams.
Waters, who is currently 86 years old, has served for 17 terms. She has supported federal funding for Planned Parenthood and opposed Republican-led bills that sought to defund the organization or impose restrictions on abortion services.
Abortion proved to be a hot-button topic in this year's general election. Waters notably voted against Republican bill H. R. 26, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which mandates that health care practitioners provide the same level of care to any child born alive following an abortion attempt as would be given to any other newborn at the same gestational age, and requires immediate hospital admission for such cases.
Fox News' Jamie Joseph contributed to this post.
Progressive Democrat and “squad” member Rashida Tlaib won her reelection in Michigan’s 12th congressional district.
Tlaib, who is the first Palestinian American woman to serve in Congress, easily won her re-elect defeating Republican challenger James Hooper by a margin of over 50 percentage points.
She has taken a strong stance against Israel in its war with Hamas and refused to endorse Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris over her support for Israel.
“Squad” member Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar won reelection in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, the AP reported.
Omar defeated her Republican challenger, Dalia Al-Aqidi, in the heavily-Democrat district. This will be Omar’s third term representing Minnesota in the House of Representatives.
Omar was one of the few “Squad” members in Congress that came away with a win in the Democrat primary for the Congressional District back in August.
The race featured another member of the so-called “Squad” facing off with a primary challenger, with Don Samuels, Abena McKenzie and Nate Schluter looking to make Omar the third member of the progressive group to lose a primary challenge in this cycle.
Fox News’ Michael Lee contributed to this report.
Democrat John Mannion has unseated Republican Rep. Brandon Williams in New York’s 22nd district, flipping the central New York district blue.
Mannion, who is currently a New York state senator, won 53.75 percent of the vote over Williams’ 46.25 percent.
Democrats had expected the district to be an easy pick-up in their fight to reclaim control of the House.
Republican U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert won a House seat Tuesday in a Colorado district where she moved midway through her term to avoid what would have been a tough reelection bid in her old district.
Boebert took a gamble in moving races and it paid off. Boebert beat Trisha Calvarese, the former director of speech writing and publications at the AFL-CIO, a federation of labor unions, who called herself an “old-school labor Democrat.”
Boebert had held the 3rd Congressional District seat in the Rocky Mountains since 2020.
She left for the more conservative 4th Congressional District on the Great Plains near the end of her current term.
She initially explained her move by saying, “There is a need for my voice in Congress,” and later said she needed a fresh start for her family after after a messy divorce.
In doing so, she escaped what would have been a tough rematch against a Democrat who nearly unseated her in 2022. Adam Frisch lost that election to Boebert by just 546 votes, campaigning against what he dubbed her “angertainment.”
Boebert will be filling Republican Rep. Ken Buck’s old seat. When Buck resigned, the conservative cited a flank of the Republican Party’s hardheaded politics and unwavering devotion to Trump.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Fox News Decision Desk can now project that Republican businessman Bernie Moreno will unseat incumbent Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown in Ohio.
This is an important flip for the Republicans . The party is edging closer to an outright Senate majority.
Brown sits as the chair of the Senate Banking Committee and is wrapping up his third term in the upper chamber.
Fox News can project that Maine Senator Angus King will win his race. He is an independent who caucuses with the Democrats.
Fox News can also project former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris will split the electoral votes in the Pine Tree State.
Harris will win three electoral votes while Trump will earn one elector from the rural second congressional district. Maine and Nebraska are the only two states that divvy up their electors by district.
In California’s Senate race, the Fox News Decision Desk can project that current Democratic congressman Adam Schiff will win his race against former Major League baseball player Steve Garvey. And Washington’s incumbent Democratic senator Maria Cantwell will win her fifth term.
Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik defeated her Democrat opponent Paula Collins in her bid for reelection to New York's 21st Congressional District, the AP reported.
“I am incredibly humbled that voters in Upstate New York and the North Country have once again put their trust in me by overwhelmingly supporting my re-election," Stefanik said. "As a proud Upstate New Yorker, it is the utmost honor and privilege to fight for Upstate at the highest levels of government."
Democratic Rep. Pat Ryan has won his re-election to represent New York’s 18th congressional district, defeating his Republican challenger, former New York City police officer Alison Esposito.
Ryan won the race by a wide margin, garnering 59 percent of the vote with 72 percent of the polls reporting.
Ryan was first elected in 2022 in a special election to succeed Democrat Antonio Delgado, who resigned to become lieutenant governor of New York under Governor Kathy Hochul.
The Fox News Decision Desk can project that Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley will win a second term. He defeats Democratic attorney Lucas Kunce.
Fox News can also project Virginia’s Senate race. Democratic Senator and former Vice-Presidential candidate Tim Kaine will defeat his GOP challenger, Hung Cao.
The Associated Press has called the House race in the 6th Congressional District of South Carolina for Rep. Jim Clyburn Tuesday night against Republican challenger Duke Bucker
Clyburn has held the seat for more than 30 years after first being elected to Congress in 1993.
Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson called Milwaukee’s vote retabulation “unbelievably sloppy” after election officials proceeded with a recount of more than 30,000 absentee ballots due to tabulation issues on Tuesday.
“This was unbelievably sloppy,” Johnson said. “They didn’t start the count for quite some time. We have slow counts in Racine and Green Bay as well..what is wrong with their procedure where they don’t go through these machines?”
“I think one of the 13 to 15 of these things here, it’s not that hard,” Johnson said. “I mean, you ought to have a procedure sheet... they’ve got one job to do and they don’t do it very well.”
Milwaukee city spokesperson Jeff Fleming told reporters Tuesday that officials decided to order the recount for the 31,000 ballots after discovering issues with 13 tabulator machines.
Fox News’ Chad Pergram, Mike Tobin, and Breanne Deppisch contributed to this post.
Fox News is projecting that Republican Congressman John Curtis will move to the Senate, succeeding retiring Senator Mitt Romney.
Meanwhile, the Fox News Decision Desk says it is too early to call the race for the U.S. Senate race for Montana. Longtime rural Democratic Senator Jon Tester, who has served in the Senate since 2007, is in the political fight of his life against Republican former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy.
Nevada is also too early to call. This senate race is between incumbent Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen and Republican Army veteran Sam Brown.
Delaware state Sen. Sarah McBride has been elected to the U.S. House and will become the first openly transgender person to serve in Congress.
McBride easily defeated Republican John Whalen III on Tuesday in the race for Delaware’s lone House seat. Whalen is a retired construction company owner and former state trooper who ran a shoestring campaign in his first bid for public office.
McBride, meanwhile, has established a national profile as an LGBTQ activist and raised more than $3 million in campaign contributions from around the country.
McBride achieved national recognition at the 2016 Democratic National Convention as the first openly transgender person to address a major party convention in the United States.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee championed her re-election Tuesday night and told her supporters that she is "humbled" to once again receive their vote.
"Tonight’s victory belongs to the people of Tennessee,” Blackburn said in a statement to Fox News. “You have been heard.
SEN. BLACKBURN SLAMS MAYORKAS OVER BORDER CRISIS
"To all of the Tennesseans who are struggling to make ends meet, to pay for gas and groceries; to the angel families who have lost loved ones from the violent criminals and drugs coming across our southern border; to all those who worry about sending your kids to play in your yard; to the parents who have worked with us to pass the Kids Online Safety Act; to the young and old who still believe America is the greatest country on earth – Six years ago, Tennesseans elected me as the first woman Senator to serve the Volunteer State, and I am humbled that they have chosen to re-elect me to continue representing their conservative values in the U.S. Senate.”
In the Maryland Senate race, the Fox News Decision Desk can now project that Democratic county executive Angela Alsobrooks will defeat former Republican Governor Larry Hogan.
Alsobrooks will succeed Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin, who is retiring this year after serving nearly two decades in the Senate and nearly six decades as a state and then federal lawmaker.
A former prosecutor and ally of Vice President Kamala Harris, Alsobrooks will make history as Maryland’s first Black senator, in a state where the Black population stands at around a third of the state's total.
The Fox News Decision Desk can now project that Texas Senator Ted Cruz will win a third term.
He defeats Democratic congressman Colin Allred.
Allred received support from a handful of Republicans including former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill.
Democrats poured massive amounts of money into the race.
The Fox News Decision Desk says it’s too early to call Wisconsin, where incumbent Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin appears to be in a close race with Republican banker Eric Hovde.
Michigan’s senate race is also too early to call. Former GOP congressman Mike Rogers is up against current Democratic House Rep. Elissa Slotkin.
In Arizona, Democratic House Rep Ruben Gallego has a lead on Republican candidate Kari Lake. It’s also too early to call.
Nebraska has two senate races on the ballot today, and the race between Republican incumbent Deb Fischer and independent Dan Osborn appears to be close. That’s too early to call according to our decision desk.
But Fox News can project that Republican Pete Ricketts will continue to serve as a Nebraska senator.
In Texas, two-term Senator Ted Cruz is locked in a close race against current Democratic congressman Colin Allred. It’s too early to call.
The Fox News Decision Desk can project that Minnesota’s Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar will sail to a fourth term.
New York Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand will win another term in the Empire State.
And Democrats will hold on to their seat in New Mexico, where Senator Martin Heinrich defeats Republican Nella Domenici.
North Dakota’s GOP Senator Kevin Cramer will easily win a second term.
And in Wyoming, Senator John Barrasso will also win re-election. He serves as Chair of the Senate Republican Conference.
The Associated Press has projected that Republican Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar will win her re-elect bid in Florida’s Miami-Dade Congressional District.
AP called the race with 88 percent of the vote having been counted.
Salazar won 60.3 percent of the vote with 177,701 votes, defeating her Democratic challenger Lucia Baez Geller who garnered 39.7 percent with 116,899 votes.
Salazar responded to the news by thanking her supporters and pledging to “continue to be your voice, fighting for you.”
“We have a lot of work to do: fix the economy, reform immigration & fight socialism at home & abroad,” said Salazar.
This will be Salazar’s third term in Congress.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was unexpectedly in his Senate office on Capitol Hill tonight.
He was there with his wife, former Transportation and Labor Secretary Elaine Chao.
McConnell said he didn’t have any insight on what was going to happen tonight.
He also said he may put out a statement on things tomorrow.
McConnell is stepping down at the end of this Congress as GOP Leader – the longest-serving party leader in Senate history.
He is not endorsing in the race to succeed him
Fox News can project that Rick Scott, the Republican Senator from Florida, will win his second term.
In Maryland, It’s too early to call the race between Democratic county executive Angela Alsobrooks and former Republican Governor Larry Hogan. Alsobrooks has a lead in our Fox News Voter Analysis.
It’s too early to call Missouri’s senate race between Republican Senator Josh Hawley and Democratic attorney Lucas Kunce.
Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn will win in Tennessee, another reliably conservative state.
In Mississippi, longtime GOP Senator Roger Wicker will take home another victory.
The Fox News Decision Desk can project that in Massachusetts, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren will win her third term.
Connecticut’s Democratic Senator Chris Murphy will also win a third term.
There isn’t enough data to project the Maine senate race yet.
In New Jersey, current Democratic House Rep. Andy Kim will win his Senate race, putting him in the upper chamber for the first time.
In Delaware, Democratic House Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester will win her first Senate race.
And Rhode Island Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse will win a fourth term.
In Pennsylvania, home to a razor-thin Senate race between incumbent Democrat Bob Casey and Republican businessman Dave McCormick. The Fox News Decision Desk says it’s too early to call.
Club for Growth PAC, a top conservative group, congratulated Rep. Anna Paulina Luna on her victory in Florida’s 13th Congressional District race. Luna successfully defended her seat against challenger Whitney Fox.
"Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s commitment to economic liberty and her steadfast support of conservative principles have made her a standout advocate for Floridians,” said Club for Growth PAC President David McIntosh.
“Rep. Luna has shown her willingness to fight for fiscal responsibility and individual freedoms in Washington. Club for Growth PAC is excited to see her continue to lead in the next Congress,” McIntosh said.
Club for Growth Action and its allied Super PACs invested nearly $700,000 into the race and Club for Growth PAC members contributed $93,241 directly to the Luna campaign.
NRSC Chair Steve Daines congratulated Gov. Jim Justice on securing a senate win for West Virginia Tuesday night.
“Congratulations to Governor Jim Justice on officially becoming West Virginia’s next United States Senator," he said. "Jim served the people of West Virginia well as their governor, lowering taxes and creating opportunity in all parts of the state.
"I know he will continue to do the same in the Senate, and we are looking forward to having Big Jim and Baby Dog in D.C.," Daines said.
Fox News can project that Jim Justice will flip a Senate seat to Republican in deep red West Virginia.
He bested Democrat Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliot.
Justice, a billionaire, replaces retiring Independent Joe Manchin who was a former Democrat.
The win puts the GOP one seat away from an outright majority, assuming they don’t lose any seats they already hold.
The Fox News Decision Desk says it’s too early to call another Republican target, Ohio, where incumbent Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown is fighting for a fourth term against Republican businessman Bernie Moreno.
Indiana Republican Rep. Jim Banks told Fox News he is "grateful for the support" as he prepares to enter the upper chamber after securing his first Senate win.
"I am grateful for the support of my family and the support I’ve had from Hoosiers across the state. I owe this victory to all who contributed to it," he told Fox News.
“Only in America can a kid like me, who grew up in a trailer park in Columbia City and was the first in my family to go to college, go on to become a United States Senator," Banks said. "As your next Senator, I will fight every day to protect that American dream for the next generation.
“We need true conservative fighters in Washington who are not afraid to cut reckless spending and fight to secure our border and end the Democrats’ border crisis. I got in this race to champion working Hoosier families and put Indiana first, and that’s what I plan to do on day one in the United States Senate," he added.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to fight for the things that matter most to Hoosiers.”
NRSC Chair Steve Daines released the following statement regarding the results of the Indiana Senate election after Congressman Jim Banks secured his first Senate win:
“Congratulations to Jim Banks on his incredible journey from humble beginnings in small town Indiana to the United States Senate. Jim is an America First patriot who will serve the state of Indiana well.”
The Fox News Decision Desk can project that Indiana Republican congressman Jim Banks will win his first Senate race.
In Virginia, it’s too early to call the race between incumbent Democratic senator Tim Kaine and his Republican challenger, Hung Cao.
Longtime independent Senator Bernie Sanders will win a fourth term in Vermont. He caucuses with the Democrats
Control of Congress has been split between the two major parties over the last two years.
Republicans have held the majority in the House of Representatives by a fluctuating margin that never exceeded 10 votes.
Currently, there are 220 Republicans in the House, compared to 212 Democrats, and it is led by Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.
Meanwhile, Democrats have controlled the Senate, also by a razor-thin margin. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., leads 51 Democratic senators, while Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., leads 49.
While the makeup of the 119th Congress is yet to be seen, it’s likely whoever wins will be governing over similarly slim majorities.
It’s led to gridlock at times in both chambers during this term. The most glaring examples have been in the House, where just eight House Republicans were able to join all Democrats to vote to topple the sitting House speaker, former Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., for the first time in history late last year.
While the lion’s share of attention will be paid to the presidential race on Tuesday night, the 500-plus elections across the country deciding control of Congress will also be critical to deciding the nation’s future.
These elections will be key in particular to how well – or poorly – the new president’s first 100 days will go.
Republicans have signaled they will move fast on government funding and replacing expiring conservative tax code provisions if they win control of Congress and the White House.
Meanwhile, Democrats have said that securing voting rights on a federal level would be a priority if they held the levers of power in Washington.
But that enthusiasm will easily be derailed if D.C. welcomes another divided government to town.
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., famously used her influence in leadership to help precipitate the first and second impeachments of former President Donald Trump.
And as the current House majority, Republicans have worked to repeal or block a litany of President Biden’s progressive policies.
There are a number of competitive Senate races to watch on Election Day as Republicans hope to take power of the upper chamber, and as Democrats hope to hang on to their slim majority.
But with the retirement of Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., who is seen as an independent, West Virginia will likely flip to Republicans on Election Day.
Races that could decide the balance of power are in key battleground states: Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona and Nevada.
In Pennsylvania, incumbent Democrat Sen. Bob Casey is running against Republican businessman Dave McCormick. Casey has been spending Democrat donor dollars on ads seemingly tying himself to former President Donald Trump – without ever mentioning Harris’ name. One ad showed how he “bucked Biden” and “sided with” Trump while painting himself as an “independent.” The ad features a Republican woman and her Democrat husband.
Similar ads are running in other critical races, like Wisconsin, where incumbent Democrat Sen. Tammy Baldwin is running against Republican challenger Eric Hovde. Her ad shows Trump signing into law legislation that Baldwin sponsored while Trump was in office.
Meanwhile, Michigan is a tight race, with Democrat Rep. Elissa Slotkin running against Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers. Retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow endorsed Slotkin, who currently represents Michigan’s 7th Congressional District. Rogers served in the House from 2001 to 2015 and served as the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. He’s been endorsed by Trump.
And in battleground Nevada, Republican Ret. Army Capt. Sam Brown is closing in on incumbent Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen.
In Arizona, GOP Senate candidate Kari Lake is running against Democrat Rep. Ruben Gallego, as they attempt to win the seat currently held by moderate Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who announced her retirement in March.
And in Ohio, Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown is in a tight race against GOP businessman Bernie Moreno.
In Montana, Democrat Sen. John Tester is in a tight race, as he tries to distance himself from Vice President Kamala Harris. Tester is running against Republican Tim Sheehy, a former Navy SEAL.
The election on Nov. 5 will decide the presidency and control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
There are 435 races that will decide control of the House of Representatives, but it is likely that control of the House will come down to just several key races. The House is currently controlled by Republicans, and the GOP is hoping to pick up additional seats.
One is New York’s 17th Congressional District, where freshman Rep. Mike Lawler is running against former Democratic Rep. Mondaire Jones. The district is among several that President Biden won in 2020, and Democrats are hoping to turn it blue once again.
Another is Virginia’s 7th Congressional District, where Democrat Eugene Vindman and Republican Derrick Anderson are facing off. The seat is being vacated by Democrat Rep. Abigail Spanberger, who is running for governor.
Another key race is Michigan’s 8th Congressional District. The seat is being vacated by Democrat Rep. Dan Kildee. Democrat state Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet and Republican former Trump administration official Paul Junge are facing off in that race.
Other competitive races include Maryland’s 6th, which some see as a GOP pickup opportunity, with April Delany running as a Democrat and former state Del.Neil Parrott running as a Republican.
Alaska, at large, is expecting a Republican victory, where its lone seat will be decided using ranked-choice voting.
Meanwhile, in the Senate, Republicans are hoping to take back the majority.
Democrats currently hold the majority with 51 seats in the Senate.
But with the retirement of Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., who is seen as an independent, West Virginia will likely flip to Republicans on Election Day.
In Ohio, Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown is in a tight race against GOP businessman Bernie Moreno.
In Montana, Democrat Sen. John Tester is in a tight race as he tries to distance himself from Vice President Kamala Harris.
Democrats have a number of other vulnerable seats in key battleground states: Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona and Nevada.
And some of those candidates have aired ads leading up to voting day that tie the incumbent senators to Trump – without mentioning Harris at all.
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