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US Politics

Voters decide US Senate control as Republicans defend 53-47 majority

Democrats need a net gain of four seats to take the chamber, with close races from Ohio and Texas to Alaska.

The U.S. Capitol in Washington in 2018
The U.S. Capitol in Washington in 2018. Photo: Beethoven, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
21 news outlets reported this
Liberal9 outletsSenate control and what a loss means for TrumpCenter6 outletsA razor-thin Senate map, race by raceConservative6 outletsKey races, Michigan's El-Sayed and the Alaska probe
Published 4 min read
Overview

Voters go to the polls Tuesday in elections that will decide control of the US . Republicans hold a 53-47 majority, so Democrats need a net gain of four seats to take it. According to Euronews, in a 50-50 Senate Vice President JD Vance would break ties, so three seats are not enough.

NBC News lists close races in Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio and Iowa, and closer-than-expected races in Alaska, Kansas and Texas. In Ohio, Republican Sen. Jon Husted faces Democratic former Sen. Sherrod Brown. In Texas, Democrat James Talarico faces Republican Ken Paxton, the state who beat Sen. John Cornyn in a primary runoff.

In Michigan, Rep. Haley Stevens, a Democrat who lost her party's primary to Abdul El-Sayed, endorsed Republican Mike Rogers on Sunday. El-Sayed is the Democratic nominee. In Alaska, the New York Times reported that Democrats recruited a second candidate named Dan Sullivan, matching the Republican senator's name.

Democrat Mary Peltola denies involvement, and Gov. Mike Dunleavy has ordered an investigation. NBC News, citing AdImpact, says more than $3.4 billion has been spent on Senate race ads.

Key figures
  • 53-47 Republican majority in the Senate before the vote — NBC News
  • net gain of four seats Democrats need to regain the Senate — NBC News
  • $3.4 billion spent on TV and digital ads in Senate races, per AdImpact — NBC News
  • 49% to 47% Talarico over Paxton in a Texas Southern University poll — Euronews
  • roughly a three-in-four chance Democrats winning the Senate, as given by prediction markets — Euronews

Three sides of the story

Liberal9 outlets

Senate control and what a loss means for Trump

NBC News opens by saying control of the Senate is on the line Tuesday, after a cycle of "betrayal, alleged ballot shenanigans" and Trump's repeated praise for Jon Husted's physique. It lists close races in Georgia, Michigan and North Carolina, in Ohio and Iowa, and in Alaska, Kansas and Texas. It cites AdImpact for more than $3.4 billion in Senate ad spending.

The report spells out the stakes for Trump: a Republican loss would leave him needing Democratic cooperation on legislation and appointments, and Democrats could pursue more investigations of the administration. On Michigan, it says Stevens' endorsement of Rogers sparked "outrage and accusations of betrayal" from House Democrats. On Alaska, it relays the Times account of ballot-stacking and notes that Peltola has "repeatedly denied" recruiting the second Sullivan.

It also reports that Elon Musk has spent at least $150 million to back Paxton.

Center6 outlets

A razor-thin Senate map, race by race

Euronews calls the Senate "on a razor's edge" and walks through the map state by state with poll numbers. It says prediction markets see Democrats as about three times as likely as not to win the Senate, and that Vance's tie-breaking vote is why Democrats need four seats. It casts North Carolina as the likely first Democratic flip, with Roy Cooper ahead of Michael Whatley by eight points in two polls.

In Texas it reports Talarico at 49% and Paxton at 47%, within the margin of error. On Michigan it quotes Chuck Schumer calling Stevens' endorsement "a despicable betrayal." On Alaska it says ballot-stacking is generally legal, Peltola denies involvement and Dunleavy has ordered a criminal investigation.

Forbes' Election Day live updates report Trump squabbling over the Reflecting Pool name, Georgia turnout falling short of Republican hopes, and voting machines malfunctioning in a New York county. Each carries the line that Democrats need a net gain of four seats.

Conservative6 outlets

Key races, Michigan's El-Sayed and the Alaska probe

CBN News lists seven races to watch: Maine, Ohio, Iowa, Texas, Kansas, Michigan and Alaska. It says 35 of the 100 Senate seats are up. On Michigan, it says the race puts "questions about Israel and support for the radical Muslim Brotherhood front and center."

It calls El-Sayed "a Muslim socialist." On Alaska, it says Peltola has been accused of "deliberately tricking voters" and denies the charge. The Daily Wire asks whether Republicans could lose "their grip on America's largest red state" in Texas.

On Michigan, it writes that for "the red-green alliance between socialists and Islamists," an El-Sayed victory "would prove that their movement can compete and win almost anywhere." It describes the Stevens endorsement switch as a "major curveball." On Alaska, it reports that the issued to the Peltola campaign and the second Sullivan's campaign.

It quotes Dunleavy saying that if the state finds illegal acts, this "may in fact impact whether somebody is seated in the U.S. Senate." A second Daily Wire piece, on House races, puts the Republican House majority at 218-214 and says pollsters and forecasters almost uniformly expect them to lose it.

All sources: 37 articles from 21 outlets

Liberal (16)

Center (12)

Conservative (9)

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