US Election 2024: Fierce race for control of Congress
The race for control of the US Congress is as fierce as the race to the White House.
The battle for 100% of the seats in the House of Representatives and a third of the seats in the US Senate is as fierce as the race for the White House. Polls show that the Democrats have a chance to win the House of Representatives, while the Republicans may dominate the Senate.
According to Reuters on November 6, the Republican Party took a step closer to gaining control of the US Senate with a victory in West Virginia on November 5, while neither party seemed to have the upper hand in the battle for control of the House of Representatives.
The election results will determine how successfully America can run for the next two years, before all seats in the House of Representatives are up for election again.
Reuters said the balance of power could change on the night of November 5 (Washington time) with different results.
Nonpartisan analysts say Republicans have a good chance of winning back the Senate, where Democrats currently hold a 51-49 majority. But Republicans could also lose control of the House, where Democrats need to gain just four seats to regain control of the 435-seat chamber.
As in the presidential election, the outcome will likely be decided by a small group of voters. Most House races are uncompetitive. But there are 22 toss-up races: 10 Democratic and 12 Republican. Which party controls the House next depends on a few key congressional districts in California, the nation’s most populous state. Five Republicans are fighting to hold on to their seats, including three who are trailing in the polls by as much as 5 percentage points.
Democrats are on the defensive as they try to retain control of the Senate, according to Reuters. Republicans need to gain just two seats to take control of the chamber, and Justice's win in West Virginia puts them halfway there.
Republicans were able to secure their majority with a victory in Ohio, where Bernie Moreno led incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown 51% to 47% with 58% of the vote counted. Republicans also spent heavily to win in Montana, where Democrat Jon Tester faces a tough reelection battle.
Republicans have a chance to expand their Senate majority if they win several competitive states in the Midwest. That would allow them to block many of Ms. Harris’s proposals and appointments if she wins the White House; or help Mr. Trump implement his promised tax cuts if he wins. But they are unlikely to win the 60-vote majority needed to advance most bills in the chamber.
