With Democrats keeping US Senate, focus shifts to House

With Democrats having held on to a contested US Senate seat in Nevada and secured voting control of the chamber, the political attention shifts to the House of Representatives, the makeup of which is still undecided.

In Nevada, incumbent Democratic US Senator Catherine Cortez Masto was declared the winner late Saturday by about 6,500 votes over Republican Adam Laxalt.

The victory gave Democrats at least 50 seats, and while Georgia will hold a runoff election on Dec 6 to determine whether incumbent Democrat Raphael Warnock returns to the Senate or Republican Herschel Walker goes to Washington, the outcome will be either 51-49 in favor of Democrats, or 50-50. But because Vice-President Kamala Harris can cast a tiebreaking vote, as she has done frequently in the current 50-50 Senate, Democrats will retain control when voting proceeds along partisan lines.

Cortez Masto, the first Hispanic woman to serve in the Senate, relied on union support, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. Her father was a member of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which represents truck drivers, construction workers and warehouse workers.

Democratic control of the Senate ensures an easier path for President Joe Biden's Cabinet appointments and judicial picks. The party also will maintain control over committees and will be able to reject legislation sent over by the House if the GOP wins that chamber.

"We got a lot done and we'll do a lot more for the American people," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Saturday night. "The American people rejected — soundly rejected — the anti-democratic, authoritarian, nasty and divisive direction the MAGA Republicans wanted to take our country."

On the sidelines of a meeting of Southeast Asian heads of government in Cambodia on Sunday, Biden said, "We're focusing now on Georgia. We feel good about where we are."

He said winning a 51st seat from the Georgia runoff would be important and allow Democrats to boost their standing on Senate committees.

"It's just simply better," he said. "The bigger the number, the better."

Earlier on Saturday, incumbent Democrat Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona was declared the winner over Republican Blake Masters, who was backed by former president Donald Trump, whose team announced he will hold a "special announcement" Tuesday night at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. There is speculation that Trump will announce he is running for president in 2024.

Kelly, a former astronaut, was first elected to the Senate in 2020 during a special election following the death of Republican Senator John McCain.

In a post on Truth Social after Kelly was declared the winner, Trump claimed it was "a scam" that could be attributed to "voter fraud" and that acting forces "stole the election", which he said should be held again.

"Idiot, and possibly corrupt, officials have lost control of the tainted Election in Arizona," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "A NEW ELECTION MUST BE CALLED FOR IMMEDIATELY!" he demanded.

Republicans remained close to taking control of the House as officials continued counting ballots over the weekend, with returns still coming in for several races, including many in Democratic-leaning California.

As of Sunday, Republicans had won 211 seats and the Democrats 205, with 218 needed for a majority. It could take several days before it is known which party will control the 435-seat chamber.

Republicans were set to take their tally to 212 House seats by picking up Oregon's 5th Congressional District, which includes suburbs of Portland and Salem, The Associated Press projected Sunday evening.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told ABC News and CNN on Sunday that she would not make any announcements about whether she planned to remain in House leadership until after control of the chamber was decided. There had been speculation she would resign if Democrats lost the majority.

House Republicans, should they prevail, have pledged to try to roll back Biden-led legislation on climate change and want to make permanent a series of 2017 tax cuts set to expire. They also have vowed investigations into Biden administration activities and probes of the president's son.

Jim Banks, a Republican congressman from Indiana, said Sunday that he expected his party to win a slim majority in the House and serve as "the last line of defense to block the Biden agenda", while launching probes into the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and pandemic lockdowns.

With Republican hopes of a "red wave" dashed, Trump has been blamed for boosting candidates who were unable to appeal to a wide enough electorate. A loss in Georgia by Walker, whom Trump endorsed, could diminish the former president's standing if he runs again.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who easily won re-election Tuesday, is gaining support as a potential alternative to Trump, who lately has made disparaging comments about his potential primary opponent.

In one of the most high-profile races yet to be called, Trump-backed Arizona GOP gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake is trailing Democrat Katie Hobbs by 1.5 percentage points.

Ai Heping in New York and agencies contributed to this story.