Early wins in key Senate swing states have political commentators and media outlets projecting a comfortable Republican majority in the U.S. Senate.
Indiana’s Senate seat went to Republican Mike Braun, who unseated Sen. Joe Donnelly, in an important flip for the GOP.
Braun, who is putting on hold his life as a businessman, said at a campaign rally with President Donald Trump on Nov. 5, “I’m doing this, I think, for the right reasons. Not the pay and the perks, not the nessling in D.C. … it’s to help somebody that’s shaking up Washington.”
Other important GOP wins were seen in North Dakota, with Rep. Kevin Cramer (R) projected to unseat Sen. Heidi Heitkamp; Tennessee, with Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) leading over former Gov. Phil Bredesen (D); and Texas, with Sen. Ted Cruz (R) leading over Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D). The lastest flip for the Republicans was called in Missouri, with Sen. Claire McCaskill (D) losing support in favor of Attorney General Josh Hawley (R).
The Democrats saw some positive results with Sen. Joe Manchin (D) retaining his seat of West Virginia against competitor Attorney General Patrick Morrisey (R) in what was seen as being a tight race.
Many are eagerly awaiting results for the razor-edge Senate race in Florida as Gov. Rick Scott (R) and Sen. Bill Nelson (D) battle it out. The states of Arizona and Nevada are also being closely watched to see how far the purple bleeds.
The outcome is less clear for the House of Representatives.
