Republicans gain majority in Senate

Jim Justice, then-Governor of West Virginia, here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on July 16, 2024. JAE C. HONG / AP

On Tuesday, November 5, Republicans won two seats in the US Senate previously held by Democrats, with the presidential election becoming a close fight for control of Congress. The Republicans thus obtained the majority in the Senate, with 51 seats on the Republican side against 49 for the Democrats. The gap could widen further overnight. Until then, Democrats had a very narrow majority in the Senate, 51 seats to 49.

Supported by Donald Trump, Jim Justice won the senatorial election in West Virginia, a mountainous and rural state, formerly known for its coal mines. The seat was held by Joe Manchin, a Democrat-turned-independent, who did not run for re-election. The Republican victory was expected in this right-wing state.

Republican Bernie Moreno won the senatorial election in Ohio, there too, flipping a seat that had until now been Democratic, a gain of importance for Donald Trump's camp. After a particularly close vote, Bernie Moreno, a 57-year-old former car dealer, born in Colombia, narrowly beat Democrat Sherrod Brown, in office since 2007.

Read also | Live, 2024 American election results: Donald Trump wins Georgia and North Carolina, Kamala Harris postpones her speaking engagement

Read later

At the same time, Nebraska senator, Republican Deb Fischer, managed to retain her seat against independent candidate Dan Osborn.

First transgender person elected to Congress

Jim Justice was re-elected governor of West Virginia in 2020. The State Constitution limits the exercise to two consecutive terms, he targeted the upper house of Congress. During the November 5 vote, 34 of the 100 Senate seats were up for grabs. The Democrats had the difficult task of having to defend two-thirds of them.

Note that, for the first time in more than two hundred years of existence, the Senate will include two black women: Angela Alsobrooks and Lisa Blunt Rochester, two Democrats. They will represent Maryland and Delaware, respectively, in this male-dominated chamber.

Read also | Article reserved for our subscribers American elections 2024: Republican expectations and Democratic hopes in Congress, the other major issue of the ballot

Read later

The 435 seats in the House of Representatives were also up for renewal on November 5.

The verdict of the polls will determine whether the winner in the presidential election will be able to implement his program in good agreement with Congress or whether he will have to expect blockages, or even impasses.

The World Application

The Morning of the World

Every morning, find our selection of 20 articles not to be missed

Download the app

Democrat Sarah McBride, 34, became the first transgender person elected to Congress on Tuesday, where she will represent her state of Delaware in the House of Representatives. Until then, she sat in the local Senate of this small state in the northeast of the United States.

Read also | Article reserved for our subscribers American presidential election 2024: an electric campaign, a crucial choice for the country between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump

Read later

The World with AFP

-

-

NEXT PSG, an unpleasant air of déjà vu