U.S. election: Control of Congress at stake

WASHINGTON –

Control of Congress is at stake Tuesday, with ever-tight races for the Home and Senate that may decide which social gathering holds the bulk and the ability to spice up or block a president’s agenda, or if the White Home confronts a divided Capitol Hill.

The important thing contests are enjoying out alongside the primary presidential election for the reason that Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol, but in addition in sudden corners of the nation after what has been one of probably the most chaotic congressional periods in trendy instances.

Ultimately, only a handful of seats, or as little as one, may tip the stability in both chamber.

Voters mentioned the economic system and immigration have been the highest points going through the nation, however the future of democracy was additionally a number one motivator for a lot of Individuals casting ballots within the presidential election.

AP VoteCast, an expansive survey of greater than 110,000 voters nationwide, discovered a rustic mired in negativity and determined for change as Individuals confronted a stark selection between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Within the Senate, the place Democrats now have a slim 51-49 majority, an early enhance for Republicans is predicted in West Virginia. Impartial Sen. Joe Manchin’s retirement creates a gap that Republican Jim Justice, now the state’s governor, is favored to win. A pickup there would impasse the chamber, 50-50, as Republicans attempt to wrest management.

High Home races are targeted in New York and California, the place in a politically uncommon twist, Democrats try to claw again some of the ten or so seats the place Republicans have made shocking positive aspects lately with star lawmakers who helped ship the social gathering to energy.

Different Home races are scattered across the nation in an indication of how slim the sector has turn into. Solely a pair of dozen seats are being significantly challenged, with some of probably the most contentious in Maine, the “blue dot” round Omaha, Nebraska, and in Alaska.

Vote counting in some races may lengthen effectively previous Tuesday.

“We’re in striking distance in terms of taking back the House,” Home Democratic chief Hakeem Jeffries, who’s in line to make historical past as the primary Black speaker if his social gathering wins management, informed The Related Press throughout a latest marketing campaign swing via Southern California.

However Home Speaker Mike Johnson, drawing nearer to Trump, predicts Republicans will maintain “and grow” the bulk. He took over after Kevin McCarthy was booted from the speaker’s workplace.

Capitol Hill could make or break a brand new White Home’s priorities, giving Trump or Harris potential allies or adversaries within the Home and Senate, or a divided Congress that might pressure a season of compromise or stalemate.

Congress can even play a job in upholding the American custom of peacefully transferring presidential energy. 4 years in the past, Trump despatched his mob of supporters to “fight like hell” at the Capitol, and plenty of Republicans in Congress voted to dam President Joe Biden’s election. Congress will once more be known as upon to certify the outcomes of the presidential election in 2025.

What began as a lackluster race for management of Congress was immediately reworked as soon as Harris stepped in for Biden at the highest of the ticket, energizing Democrats with large fundraising and volunteers that lawmakers mentioned reminded them of the Obama-era enthusiasm of 2008.

Billions of {dollars} have been spent by the events, and out of doors teams, on the slim battleground for each the 435-member Home and 100-member Senate.

Democrats must win a handful of Home seats to pluck social gathering management from Republicans. Within the Senate, the vice chairman turns into the tie-breaker in a 50-50 cut up, which would depart management of that chamber as much as the winner of the White Home.

Senate Republicans launched a wide-open map of alternatives, recruiting rich newcomers to place Democratic incumbents on protection throughout the nation.

In Ohio, Trump-backed Republican Bernie Moreno, a Cleveland businessman, is in search of to unseat three-term Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown. Some $400 million has been spent on the race.

One of the most-watched Senate races, in Montana, could also be among the many final to be determined. Democrat Jon Tester, a preferred three-term senator and “dirt farmer” is within the combat of his political profession in opposition to Trump-backed Tim Sheehy, a rich former NAVY Seal, who made derogatory feedback about Native Individuals, a key constituency within the Western state.

And throughout the “blue wall” battlegrounds of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, Republicans are relying on Trump as they attempt to unseat a trio of incumbent Democratic senators.

Outgoing Senate Republican chief Mitch McConnell has spent a profession targeted on seizing and protecting majority energy, however different alternatives for Republicans are slipping into lengthy pictures.

Within the Southwestern states, Arizona firebrand Republican Kari Lake has struggled in opposition to Democrat Ruben Gallego within the seat opened by Sen. Krysten Sinema’s retirement. In Nevada, Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen has been holding out in opposition to newcomer Sam Brown.

Democrats intensified their challenges to a pair of Republican senators — Ted Cruz of Texas and Rick Scott in Florida — in states the place reproductive rights have been a spotlight within the aftermath of the Supreme Courtroom choice rolling again abortion entry. Cruz faces Democrat Colin Allred, the Dallas-area congressman, whereas Scott has poured $10 thousands and thousands of his personal fortune into the race in opposition to Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, a former Home lawmaker.

Congress has an opportunity to achieve a number of history-making milestones as it’s reshaped by the American voters and turns into extra consultant of a various nation.

Not one, however presumably two Black ladies could possibly be on their approach to the Senate, which might be one thing by no means seen within the U.S.

Democrat Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware is favored within the Senate race in opposition to Republican Eric Hansen.

And in Maryland, Harris-ally Angela Alsobrooks is in a extremely aggressive race in opposition to the state’s common former governor, Republican Larry Hogan.

Individuals have elected two Black ladies, together with Harris, as senators for the reason that nation’s founding, however by no means at the identical time.

Home candidate Sarah McBride, a state lawmaker from Delaware who’s near the Biden household, is poised to turn into the primary brazenly transgender individual in Congress.

Fallout from redistricting, when states redraw their maps for congressional districts, leaves Republicans set to achieve a number of seats from Democrats in North Carolina and Democrats choosing up a second Black-majority seat in Republican-heavy Alabama.

Lawmakers within the Home face voters each two years, whereas senators serve longer six-year phrases.

If the 2 chambers do actually flip social gathering management, as is feasible, it will be uncommon.

Data present that if Democrats take the Home and Republicans take the Senate, it will be the primary time that the chambers of Congress have each flipped to opposing political events.

Related Press writers Stephen Groves, Kevin Freking and Farnoush Amiri contributed to this report.