Republicans gained control of the US Senate late Tuesday, according to PBS News, successfully flipping Democratic-held seats and defending crucial GOP incumbents to secure their first majority in four years.
The decisive victory emerged from Nebraska, where GOP Sen Deb Fischer fended off a challenge from independent newcomer Dan Osborn. The win followed earlier Republican successes in West Virginia, where Jim Justice claimed retiring Sen Joe Manchin's seat at 12:36 a.m.
In a significant upset, Republican Bernie Moreno, a Colombian-born businessman, defeated three-term Democratic Sen Sherrod Brown in Ohio's hotly contested race, which saw approximately $400 million in campaign spending. Brown became the first incumbent senator to lose reelection this cycle.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz maintained his seat against Democratic challenger Colin Allred, a Dallas-area congressman and former NFL linebacker, while in Florida, Sen Rick Scott successfully defended his position against Democratic opposition.
The election night also marked historic victories. Delaware's Lisa Blunt Rochester and Maryland's Angela Alsobrooks became the first two Black women to serve simultaneously in the Senate, while New Jersey's Andy Kim made history as the first Korean American senator, winning the seat vacated by Bob Menendez following his federal bribery conviction.
According to voter surveys reported by PBS News, economic concerns and immigration topped voters' priorities, with democracy's future also significantly influencing decisions. AP VoteCast, surveying more than 110,000 voters, revealed widespread desire for change as Americans chose between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Attention now turns to the Democratic "blue wall" states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, where the party struggles to maintain its remaining Senate presence. House races concentrate in New York and California, with Democrats seeking to reclaim recently lost territory.
The final balance of power remains uncertain as vote counting continues in several key races, including Montana's closely watched Senate contest between Democratic incumbent Jon Tester and Republican Tim Sheehy, a former NAVY Seal.
