Republicans gain senate lead, house race still close

Republicans moved closer to taking control of the U.S. Senate after winning a seat in West Virginia. However, the fight for the House of Representatives is still too close to call.

With both the Senate and the House at stake, the results will play a crucial role in how well the next president—whether Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Kamala Harris—can lead the country. The outcome will shape the government's ability to pass laws and make decisions for the next two years.

West Virginia Senate Win Brings Republicans Closer to Parity

Republican Governor Jim Justice won an open Senate seat in West Virginia shortly after the polls closed, which puts the Republican Party at a 50-50 tie with the Democrats in the Senate. The Senate is made up of 100 seats, and this win makes it a very close race.

The seat was previously held by Joe Manchin, a Democrat who recently changed to an independent. This shift means Republicans are now one step closer to taking control of the Senate.

North Carolina House Race and Historic Win in Delaware

In the House of Representatives, Republicans gained one seat in North Carolina. Addison McDowell won the seat, adding to the Republican's slim majority in the House. Meanwhile, in Delaware, voters made history by electing Sarah McBride, a Democrat, as the first openly transgender person to serve in Congress.

These victories show how important each seat is in this election, as both parties fight for control.

Senate Control is Still Up for Grabs

As the night continues, the balance of power in both chambers of Congress could change. Non-partisan analysts believe that Republicans have a good chance of taking back the Senate, which is currently held by Democrats with a 51-49 majority.

For Republicans to gain control, they need to win just two more seats. The win in West Virginia has already put them halfway there. A victory in Ohio could push them even closer. In Ohio, Republican Bernie Moreno was leading Democrat Sherrod Brown, with 58% of the votes counted.

Republicans are also focusing on Montana, where Democrat Jon Tester is facing a tough re-election battle. 

If they win in these states, Republicans could gain a majority in the Senate. This would allow them to block President Harris’ initiatives if she wins the White House or help President Trump push through his promised tax cuts if he wins.

However, even with a majority, Republicans may not have the 60 votes needed to move most legislation forward.

The House Battle Remains Close

In the House of Representatives, Republicans currently hold a narrow 220-212 majority. The Democrats only need to pick up four seats to take back control. However, there are no signs of a huge shift in power like there were in 2018 or 2010, when the Democrats or Republicans won big victories.

Both parties have at least 200 safe seats. The rest of the races are tight, and the winning side will likely have a slim majority. This could make it difficult to govern effectively.

Tight Races in Key States

A key factor in the House race will be the results in states like New York and California, where voting is still very close. California is known for taking a few days to count all its votes, so the final outcome may not be clear right away.