Republicans win majority in the Senate, flipping control of upper chamber, CBS News projects

Washington — Republicans gained management of the Senate within the 2024 elections, with GOP wins in a handful of key races cementing the brand new majority and flipping get together management of the higher chamber.

With a Senate map closely of their favor, Republicans flipped West Virginia and Ohio giving them at the least a 51-seat majority as a handful of races remained toss ups. One race that turned surprisingly aggressive within the remaining stretch of the marketing campaign, Nebraska, introduced the GOP over the end line. 

Democrats at present have a 51-49 majority within the Senate. However Sen. Joe Manchin’s choice to go away Congress all however assured a Republican flip in deep-red West Virginia, and alternatives for Republican pickups in a handful of different states spelled hassle for the Democrats. In the meantime, Democrats had set their sights on attainable pickup alternatives in Florida and Texas — that are projected to stay in Republican fingers — whereas working to defend their most susceptible seats. 

Republicans final received a majority within the Senate in 2018, earlier than Democrats went on to safe a slender majority within the two most up-to-date elections. 

The Republican victory can have main implications for the brand new administration,  bolstering the president’s agenda.

The win tees up a high-stakes race for management of the chamber, after Senate Minority Chief Mitch McConnell introduced plans earlier this yr to step down from management. Minority Whip John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, and Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, are thought-about the front-runners within the race to interchange the longest-serving get together chief in Senate historical past.