Democrats gain crucial Senate seat in fierce battle for Congress

Democrats gain crucial Senate seat in fierce battle for Congress

With reporting from: John Sudworth in Pennsylvania | Nada Tawfik in Florida | Gary O’Donoghue and Kayla Epstein in Georgia | Sophie Long in Arizona | Anthony Zurcher and Sarah Smith in Washington | Holly Honderich in Kentucky | James Clayton in Wisconsin | Peter Bowes in California.

Summary

1. Results are being declared in the US midterm elections – the battle for control of Congress is hanging in the balance
2. Republicans are likely to take control of the House of Representatives, according to projections, but the Senate fight is on a knife-edge
3. If Democrats lose control of either, Republicans will be able to block President Joe Biden’s agenda
4. Former President Donald Trump, who is expected to announce he will run for president in 2024, has seen some of his endorsed candidates fail
5. Democrat John Fetterman, who suffered a stroke in May, beat Republican opponent Mehmet Oz, a celebrity TV doctor, in the Pennsylvania Senate race
6. But the results of several tight Senate races – in the states of Georgia, Arizona and Nevada – have yet to be called
7. In Georgia, election officials say the result is looking so close it may go to another vote in early December
8. Meanwhile Florida’s Republican governor Ron DeSantis has won a large victory to stay in office, setting him up for a potential 2024 presidential bid
9. • Just catching up? Here’s what you’ve missedThe top line is that which party will control the US Congress for the next two years remains uncertain.The Republicans, as predicted, look to be in a good position to retake the House but the battle for the Senate is too close to call. The parties are neck-and-neck.Although the Republicans have made gains, the party didn’t see the upset victories in Senate and governor battles which polls had suggested could happen.In fact in many of the key races, the early front-runners have held on:
     • In Pennsylvania, Democrat John Fetterman outperformed polls to win the Senate race against Oz Mehmet, the Republican candidate and former Oprah Winfrey Show celebrity doctor
     • The Georgia race is still a nail-biter between Democrat senator Raphael Warnock and his Trump-backed challenger Herschel Walker. Officials say there will most likely be another vote in four weeks to decide the contest
     • But Republican Brian Kemp prevailed to retain the state governor position over high-profile challenger Stacey Abrams
     • The Senate race in Nevada remains too close to call. Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto – the first Latino senator – is trailing her Republican rival Adam Laxalt by fewer than 1,000 votes
     • We’re also expecting Senate results in Arizona, where the Democrat is ahead in the current tally
     • Meanwhile the Republicans look close to obtaining the five-seat gain needed to swing the House
     • Kevin McCarthy, the minority leader, addressed his supporters at 2am saying they would wake up tomorrow to a Republican House majority
     • Exit polls showed the economy and cost-of-living were the biggest concerns for voters, as expected, but abortion rights were also a major issue
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   • Posted at 9:459:45Where things stand in the HouseAs results continue to come in, Republicans currently have the most seats in the House of Representatives.They have 198 seats – while the Democrats have 173.But the Republicans still need 22 seats to ensure control of the House – and they say they’re confident they can achieve that.US Congress is made up of the House and the Senate. The House is a bit like the UK’s House of Commons, while the Senate is like the House of Lords, although its members are elected.BBCCopyright: BBCArticle share tools
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