Democrats to maintain control of US Senate after projected win in Nevada

WASHINGTON 

Democrats will maintain control of the Senate for another two years after Catherine Cortez Masto became the projected winner Saturday in the US state of Nevada in the Nov. 8 midterm elections.

Cortez Masto, the first Latina elected to the 100-seat chamber of Congress, beat Republican Adam Laxalt.

Democrats will have 50 seats, regardless of what happens in a run-off planned in December in the state of Georgia. Vice President Kamala Harris has a tie-breaking vote. Republicans will have 49 seats.

In Georgia, Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker are headed for a Dec. 6 runoff that will provide the winning party with that seat.

The American vice president serves as president of the Senate and is able to cast tie-breaking votes. Senate tradition has held that control of the chamber in an evenly-split body goes to the party that controls the White House.

Democrats emerged victorious in Arizona as well after Sen. Mark Kelly was reelected.

Control of the House of Representatives still hangs in the balance, with projections giving Republicans a slight edge.

Republicans have taken 211 seats while Democrats have grabbed 202 seats, according to The Associated Press.

Either party needs to win 218 seats for a majority.

If Republicans win the House, President Joe Biden’s legislative agenda will likely be almost certainly stopped in its tracks, facing an uncooperative Republican-dominated body.

• Catherine Cortez Masto
• Democrats
• Senate