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Republicans won control of the U.S. Senate with victories in West Virginia and Ohio on Tuesday, ensuring that Donald Trump's party will control at least one chamber of Congress next year.
Neither party appeared to have a clear advantage in the battle for the House of Representatives, which Republicans now control by a narrow margin.
But Tuesday's results ensured Republicans would be able to help Trump appoint conservative judges and other government personnel if he wins the presidential race, or block much of Democrat Kamala Harris's agenda if she prevails.
Republican Jim Justice was projected to win an open Senate seat in West Virginia shortly after polls closed, taking over the seat previously held by Joe Manchin, a Democrat-turned-independent. In Ohio, multiple U.S. media outlets projected that Republican Bernie Moreno would defeat incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown. Those two victories ensured Republicans will hold at least a 51-49 majority in the Senate, with further gains possible as results in other competitive races come in.
Republicans also posted gains as they sought to retain control of the House, which they currently control by a narrow 220-212 majority.
They picked up three seats from Democrats in North Carolina, where they had redrawn district lines to bake in their advantage, while Democrats won control of a Republican-held seat in Alabama that had been redrawn to comply with a U.S. Supreme Court order to create a Black majority district.
Democrats now need to flip at least six seats to take control of the 435-seat chamber.
Voters made history in Delaware, where they elected Democrat Sarah McBride as the first openly transgender member of Congress.
As in the presidential election, the outcome will likely be determined by a small slice of voters. Fewer than 40 House races are seen as truly competitive.
Republicans stand a chance to widen their Senate majority further if they win in Montana, where Democrat Jon Tester faces a tough reelection battle, and prevail in several competitive Midwestern states. But they are unlikely to end up with the 60-vote majority needed to advance most legislation in the chamber.
In Texas, incumbent Republican Ted Cruz was projected to win reelection, holding off Democrat Colin Allred.
In Nebraska, Republican Senator Deb Fischer was holding off a surprisingly strong challenge from an independent candidate, Dan Osborn, who has not said whether he would line up with Democrats in the Senate if he were to win.
The Senate was set to see two Black women serving simultaneously for the first time, as several media outlets projected Democrat Angela Alsobrooks would win in Maryland, and Democrat Lisa Blunt Rochester won in Delaware.
HOUSE UP FOR GRABS
The outcome was still up in the air in the House, despite Republicans' gains in North Carolina. Analysts say Democrats could easily pick up enough seats to win control of the chamber, though there are no signs of a "wave" election, akin to 2018 or 2010, that would result in a decisive shift in power.
With at least 200 seats safe for each party, the winning side will likely end up with a narrow majority that could make governing difficult. That has been evident in the past two years as Republican infighting has led to failed votes and leadership turmoil and undercut the party's efforts to cut spending and tighten immigration.
Tight races in the heavily Democratic states of New York and California could determine House control, though the final outcome may not be known for several days as California typically takes several days to count its ballots.
© Thomson Reuters 2024.
34 Comments
dagon
If Trump wins, say hello to Project 2025!
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-is-project-2025-trump-conservative-blueprint-heritage-foundation/
https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2024-07-15/ty-article-magazine/.premium/what-is-project-2025-the-right-wing-plan-to-fundamentally-change-the-u-s-government/00000190-b6bc-d7b7-add8-ffbf290c0000
bass4funk
Finally, that is the best news of the day.
That is not going to happen.
Five Families
If Trump wins, say hello to Project 2025!
Never. Trump has zero intrest in this. Already debunked.
4Tno
It's over! TRUMP 2024! GGs! Come to our side. We're not gonna bite.
Blacklabel
Project 2025! Reeeeee!
nobody bought the fake narrative.
senate +5 or 6?
Tokyo Guy
So if Harris does pull this out of the bag and/or the democrats take the house, does that essentially mean four years of absolutely nothing getting done?
EvilBuddha
Don't think that Project 2025 was something Trump Vance were serious about.
But even if they were the liberals and the pseudo-liberal racists deserve everything that is coming to them.
Zaphod
I would actually prefer it if Team Trump lost one of the 3 branches. Not because I agree with any of the misguided policies of the current democrats, but rather because giving all 3 branches to one party makes them arrogant and lazy. It would be nice to be reminded constantly how bad the alternative is.
Zaphod
dagon
You take your information from cbs and Haaretz? Safe assumption from Guardian, BBC, MSNBC, CNN, NYT, Huffpost and Daily Beast too?
You should really consider looking outside that partisan bubble too.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Thomas has a narrow window in which to retire.
dagon
The denial is strong from MAGA about Project 2025.
Highly suspicious.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/08/15/new-hidden-camera-video-reinforces-trumps-project-2025-problem/
NOMINATION
Gotta give up to you though for your dedication. Most of the usual posters are nowhere to be seen since this morning.
M1984FA
dagon
Somehow I am not surprised that gaslighting about this "project 2025" is resurrected by the WaPo (what an unbiased source...). It seems to have replaced the "Qanon" thing which was the previous red herring.
Peter14
Saddened, but not amazed that there are so many stupid Americans that are sick of living in a democracy. What they get now is all on them. They will not realise until its too late.
Ukraine's only hope is to buy off Trump with billions of dollars under the table, but more than likely Trump will hand Russia a major win.
Trump will have the term limit removed and ensure one of his children takes over from him. Ballots will now be stuffed to ensure Trumps party always wins and popular opposition figures will be jailed, murdered or exiled in the model Russia uses.
Staggering. An end to civilization as we know it. Stupid damn Americans!
fallaffel
Agree, but one good thing is Trump does not really believe in anything he campaigned on; he just calculated it would help him win. Now that he's won, what he'll actually do is anyone's guess. Sadly, it depends a lot on who strokes his ego the most...
Peter14
A world power vacuum has now been created. The US has again vacated world leadership leaving the world rudderless. No nation trusts or has any faith in Trump with a few notable exceptions like Russia, Turkey, Hungary, North Korea and well cant think of any others. They will kiss up to Trump until he does the unthinkable and joins America to the axis of evil.
Free press is in Trumps spotlight, and will be one of his first targets. The only hope now is the Dems controlling the house, and maybe getting the senate in two years time.
Calamity in the USA!
1glenn
What to expect.....
The installation of a nation-wide ban on abortions.
The end of a free Ukraine.
The end of a free Taiwan.
South Korea and Japan will have to develop nuclear weapons and delivery systems to protect themselves, since a MAGA-led USA cannot be depended on for a nuclear umbrella.
More huge tax cuts for the very wealthy, and announcements that programs for the middle class will be cut to pay for them.
Putin will set his sights on reclaiming more of the old Russian empire.
Programs to fight global warming will be shut down.
The US military will lose funding, as a way to pay back Putin for his support in getting Trump back in the White House.
The further decline of American exceptionalism.
Blacklabel
Trump should do things Democrats said should be done! such as adding 5 more justices to the Supreme Court (cause there “should be 14 to match the number of districts”)
he should also do every single thing Democrats falsely accused that he would do if he got elected. Knowing it was false when they said it.
he is still gonna do those? Or was the left lying the whole time and he was never going to do any of them? Interesting.
quercetum
Geniuses these Democrats. Who came up with the idea of skipping the open primary and pushing Kamala? Thoroughly incompetent political faculty.
ClippetyClop
Yeah, this is a big worry. Putin is certainly gonna be wanting some return on his Trump investment, and Ukraine will soon suffer. Biden might as well go all in for the last 2 months and allow US weapons to be used more freely. Europe is going to have to get its act together quickly.
This might be a surrender too far even for Trump I feel. He'd be damned for eternity if he abandoned Ukraine and Taiwan.
Without doubt. A war on scientists is imminent.
Very doubtful about this. It will just be directed away from Putin.
This is a very good day for Putin.
Zaphod
Peter14
You mean the "deplorables" and "garbage"? Have you ever considered that arguments might be more productive than insulting people who disagree with you?
Now lets see about your predictions:
Seeing that UKR is financed by the US, I wonder how you imagine this "paying off with billions" would work. In the real world, you can expect a diplomatic solution, but nobody will have "won" this, seeing the costs on all sides.
Nothing like that will happen. In the real world, he has Vance as a) assassination insurance and b) a really good next candidate.
You mean ballots like the uncontrolled mass mail ballots that hopefully will be discontinued?
Good grief. Would be great if JT could archive this and remind us in a few years about these apocalyptic prophesies.
HonestDictator
They just don't get it. After four more years of Trump, we'll see the US deficit skyrocket, inflation will go up, cost of living will go even higher, and corruption will be the name of US politics.
Trump is not for the working class. He never was, never will be. The US will now be like Russian oligarchs... Trump will make the economy "look" good for a while, but when his choices fully hit in a few years, the US economy will tank hard.
Zaphod
ClippetyClop
You need communication with your adversaries, not just hobnobbing with your friends and vassals. Any diplomat can explain that to you. And yes, the people on the team Trump would be disappointed if he keeps using American tax payer money to fund the Zelenski government. For once, you got something right,
ClippetyClop
I got nothing wrong, I predicted a Trump victory. And I predicted it would be an even bigger win for Putin than it would be for America. Your vote just helped save thousands of Russian lives.
But like I said, enjoy it. Putin will be.
dutch
Lets all bookmark this for future reference.
ClippetyClop
I agree. When the invasion started Biden's diplomats should have been all over Putin. Maybe they were. But it was clear that Putin's mind was already set on conquest.
The responsibility will soon be on Trump. He either backs Ukraine or abandons them. Which choice will help Make America Great Again? I'd argue that supporting Ukraine is the American way, but Trump clearly has a complex relationship with Putin.
TokyoLiving
Welcome to MAGA 2025 project..
Where free thought, social freedoms and minorities will live in constant danger and persecution.. Now the US has become a fascist circus only for ultra-conservative white nationalists. It doesn't matter if your idol is convicted of many crimes, as long as your idol makes your country your utopian fantasy it will always be your idol..
Let the circUS begins!!!..
TokyoLiving
By the way..
Thank God I don’t live in that depressive wicked country..
Wick's pencil
The page has been turned, and we will soon be unburdened by what has been.
ClippetyClop
I'm already there. You and Zaphod have already confirmed it by confirming that Trump will be abandoning Ukraine to Russia.
This is a very good day for Putin.
Nibek32
The guy is literally doing a Hitler salute. Dark times for America, glad I left.
deanzaZZR
Over/under Ishiba flies out to Florida within 10 days.
Great Bird
Trump really was pro-choice until he needed the votes. He'll leave it as it is.
Yes
No, China will continue biding its time.
No
Yes.
Possibly, but don't think he can convince the population that Kazakhs or Turkmen are really Nazis occupying Russian territory. (even with the slightly differing definition of Nazi Russia has)
Yep
Never. Funding will increase.
Other things that might happen:
-Israel (Netanyahu) will feel free to attack Iran. Iran should just ask to come under Russia's nuclear umbrella really at this point.
-Re-politization of the Department of Justice. More US overreach as in the Huawei CFO case.
-A love fest with Kim Jong Un. After all Trump's vision (if we want to call it that) seems basically to be "Juche with American characteristics". Of course nothing much will come out of the lovefest.
-X-type restrictions on free speech (saying you are a free speech absolutist is worth nothing if you happily ban your critics) will be implemented, in the name of free speech and "anti-wokeism"
-Attacks on the media increase
-Of course Thiel may just poison Trump to get his boy Vance in the seat....
Underworld
I feel sorry for America. But the got the president that they deserve.