Senate on knife edge as Democrats rally
The race to control the US Senate was neck and neck yesterday after Democratic Senator Mark Kelly won his bid for re-election in the crucial swing state of Arizona.
The Democrats are now one seat away from clinching control of the chamber for the next two years of Joe Biden’s presidency.
With Vice President Kamala Harris’ tie-breaking vote, Democrats can retain control of the Senate by winning either the Nevada race, where counting was yesterday continuing, or next month’s run-off in Georgia.
Republicans now must win both of those races to take the majority.
A former Nasa astronaut, Kelly is married to former US Representative Gabby Giffords, who inspired the nation with her recovery from a gunshot wound to the head during an assassination attempt in 2011 that killed six people and injured 13.
In Nevada, Democratic Senator Catherine Cortez Masto was running just behind Republican Adam Laxalt, but with the remaining tens of thousands of uncounted ballots mainly coming from urban areas cores, her campaign expressed optimism she could overtake her challenger.
Laxalt has steadily predicted he will stay in the lead as the count drags on.
Meanwhile, the battle to gain control of the House of Representatives continues, with Republicans in the lead, but the gap narrowing.