US Democrats celebrate Senate win over distraught Republicans

Washington: Democrats celebrated a stunning victory to hold the US Senate, leaving Republicans in disarray and providing a critical base of political and legislative support for the remainder of Joe Biden’s presidency.

Although the fate of the lower House of Representatives is still up in the air, retaining control of the upper chamber in a midterm election many predicted they would lose by a wide margin is, in itself, a major triumph.

“I feel good and I’m looking forward to the next couple years,” said Biden, who was attending a summit in Cambodia.

The Senate oversees the confirmation of federal judges and Cabinet members, and having the 100-seat body in his corner will be a major boon for Biden as he seeks to keep his policy agenda on track.

US midterms traditionally deliver a rejection of the party in the White House, and with inflation surging and Biden’s popularity ratings cratering, Republicans had been expecting to ride a mighty “red wave” and capture both houses of Congress in Tuesday’s vote.

The deciding moment in the battle for control of the Senate came late on Saturday, when US networks called the Nevada race for Democratic incumbent Catherine Cortez Masto, giving the party the 50 seats it needs for an effective majority.

Vice-president Kamala Harris can cast the tie-breaking vote if the chamber is evenly split 50-50.

One Senate race remains undecided – a runoff in Georgia set for Dec 6, in which the Democrats could add to their majority.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the result was a vindication of Democrats’ achievements, and a clear rejection of the “antidemocratic, nasty and divisive direction” offered by former president Donald Trump and his loyalists.

Trump was the biggest Republican draw on the midterms campaign trail, and the party’s performance – with many candidates that he personally endorsed losing their high-profile races – was a damaging blow to him.