Democrats won control of the U.S. Senate on Saturday as Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto was declared the winner of her tight reelection race, news outlets reported.
Cortez Masto’s win gives Democrats a 50-49 edge in the Senate, with one Senate seat still undecided.
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But because Vice President Kamala Harris is a Democrat who can break tie votes, Democrats control of Congress’ upper chamber is assured.
U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., looks on during a meeting with supporters, Monday, Nov. 7, 2022, in Henderson, Nev. (Gregory Bull/AP)
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) will continue as the Senate’s majority leader. “Your Senate Demoratic Majority!” he crowed on Twitter on Saturday night.
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“Democrats will have a majority again in the Senate!” Schumer wrote. “This election is a victory and vindication for Democrats, our agenda and our accomplishments, and for America and the American people.”
“As MAGA Republicans stoked fear and division,” Schumer wrote, “Senate Democrats were talking how we worked to deliver on the issues that mattered most to people.”
Cortez Masto’s win follows Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly’s re-election in Arizona, which was announced on Friday.
In the remaining undecided Senate race, voters in Georgia will decide Dec. 6 whether to keep incumbent Democrat Sen. Raphael Warnock in a runoff against Republican Herschel Walker.
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., left, speaks alongside Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak during an election night party hosted by the Nevada Democratic Party, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, in Las Vegas. (Gregory Bull/AP)
Cortez Masto — the first Latina elected to the Senate — was declared the Nevada winner by The Associated Press. Her win was also projected by the Nevada Independent, a local news outlet.
The win came as Cortez Masto won 60.4% of late-counted votes in Clark County, which includes Las Vegas. The tally gave her a near 5,000-vote lead over her opponent, Adam Laxalt, the Nevada Independent reported.
It’s still unclear whether Democrats or Republicans will control the House. News media tallies on Saturday night gave Republicans an edge, with Politico giving Republicans 211 seats to Democrats’ 202 seats. Either party would need 218 votes to command a House majority.
Democrats keep control of US Senate with Nevada win
