A predicted 'red wave' - or a ruthless Republican victory - in this year's midterm polls have been blunted by the Democratic party as the former's victory in electoral battles has not been as authoritative.
While the Republican party will likely gain control of the House of Representatives, it is struggling to flip the Senate.
Presently, the 100-member US Senate is equally divided between both parties, but it leans Democratic due to Vice-President Kamala Haris' casting vote (as the Vice President is the ex-officio presiding officer of the Senate). For the Republicans to gain control of the Senate, they had to flip one seat. While some key battleground Senate battles remain deadlocked, Democrat John Fetterman has reportedly flipped a Republican seat in Pennsylvania. As it stands, with no other upsets, the Senate would remain even more firmly in Democratic hands. Again, results from more battles are yet to come.
The Democrats control the House of Representatives by four seats - 222 to the needed 218. Which means that the Republicans would need to flip 5 seats for control. They have already managed to do that as the results stand, with the Republicans leading in 195 seats and the Democrats in 176.
A lost House would inhibit President Joe Biden's ability to push his agenda through Congress. However, Biden would still be able to push his appointments through with relative ease if his party controls the Senate.
Also Read: US Midterm Elections 2022: All You Need To Know
The Senate battles
As a third of the Senate goes to the poll every two years, 35 seats are up for grabs in this election.
Currently, four seats are yet to be called, CNN calculates. The Pennsylvania victory puts the Democrats ahead.
But a Republican flip is also looking likely in Nevada. Adam Laxalt is pulling ahead of Democratic incumbent Cortez Masto by nearly 2.7 percentage points (49.9% to 47.2%). However, with just 80% of the vote counted, the seat remains anybody's game.
In Georgia, incumbent Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock is polling ahead of Herschel Walker by just 0.5 percentage points (49.2% to 48.7%). A third candidate is polling at 2.1%. Since Georgian law requires candidates to win by 50% or more through an absolute majority, the battle will spill over into a runoff on December 6 between Warnock and Walker in a replay of 2020.
The Republicans look to retain Wisconsin, as incumbent Ron Johnson holds a 1.2 percentage point lead over challenger Mandela Barnes with 6% of the vote yet to be counted. In Arizona, incumbent Democratic Senator Mark Kelly is leading with 6.5 percentage points, but just 64% of the vote has been counted.
House of Representatives
The entirety of the 435 member House is going to the polls, with Republicans looking to clinch a majority. The question remains: by how much?
They need to flip five seats for lead in the House. They have currently flipped six. The Republican are ahead on 198 seats, and the Democrats on 178. However, 59 seats remain to be counted.
The House falling in the hands of the Republicans will likely set up a clash on the Biden administration's budgetary agendas.
Gubernatorial races
Republicans have been prevented a clean sweep, as Democrats have managed to flip two governorships. In Massachusetts and Maryland, Democratic challengers are projected to trounce Republicans by healthy margins.
However, some high-profile Democratic challengers were unable to clinch victory. These included Stacie Adams in Georgia, who lost to Brian Kemp and Beto O'Rourke, losing to Greg Abbot who won a third term.
The Republicans, in turn, are looking to flip Nevada, where Clark Lombardo is leading incumbent Democrat Steve Sisolak by 4.8 percentage points, with 80% of the vote counted and in Arizona, where the Democrats have the lead by two percentage points, with 67% of the vote counted.
In Florida, while incumbent Ron DeSantis, a Republican did win another term, former President Donald Trump has warned him against making a presidential bid as Trump looks to run for a third time in 2024. He is expected to announce the same on November 15. DeSantis is believed to have cultivated his own miniature cult following. Tension exists between the two, after Trump called the governor "Ron DeSanctimonious" as a tirade. DeSantis' supporters are private asking him to rebel and announce a bid challenging Trump.
Also Read: Who Is Aruna Miller, Maryland's First Indian-American Lieutenant Governor?
