Mitch McConnell, the top Republican in the U.S. Senate, said the incoming Senate Republican majority would be an important guardrail for the country.
“It’s a good day for the GOP [Republican Party],” McConnell told reporters Wednesday.
The Republican party won back a majority in the Senate with at least 51 of 100 seats in Tuesday’s election. Control of the House of Representatives, which is currently held by Republicans, was not yet decided early Wednesday.
All 435 seats in the House of Representatives were at stake in elections throughout the United States for new two-year terms, while 34 of the 100 seats in the Senate were contested for new six-year terms.
Before Election Day, Democrats had narrow control of the Senate and Republicans of the House. Key Republican victories for Senate seats in West Virginia and Ohio put them in position to be back in the majority.
In the House, Republicans held a 220-212 edge, with three vacant seats going into the election. Control of that chamber has not been confirmed yet. Control of the House may not be known for several days, as California has often taken days to count ballots, and recounts and runoffs of close races can take weeks to resolve.
Political surveys throughout the election campaign have shown voters — much like in the Kamala Harris-Donald Trump race for the White House — evenly divided in their political preference for congressional control.
An October Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 43% of registered voters would back the Republican House candidate in their district, while 43% would back the Democratic candidate.
A Republican majority in the U.S. Senate could jeopardize any future U.S. aid packages to Ukraine to aid its fight against Russia.
McConnell, who has often been at odds with his own party in support of that aid, reiterated its importance on Wednesday.
“It may seem old-fashioned to some, but I'm still a Reagan Republican who thinks that America's role in the world is absolutely indispensable, even if you're concerned about cost.”
