Daily US Times: Democrats’ hopes of regaining control of the upper chamber of the US Congress, the Senate, are dwindling as another of their target seats was retained by its Republican incumbent.
Susan Collins staved off a fierce challenge from Democratic candidate Sara Gideon to keep her Maine seat.
Democratic Party had high hopes of gaining four seats from the Republicans to take control of the Senate.
They are projected to retain their majority in the lower chamber of Congress, the House, but with some key losses.
With many votes still to be counted, the final outcome for both the House and Senate may not be known for some time.
However, the night did see a number of firsts – including the first openly transgender state senator and the first black openly LGBTQ people ever elected to Congress.
This year’s congressional election is running alongside the battle for the White House between Joe Biden and Donald Trump.
The Democrats had hoped to flip the Republicans’ 53-47 majority in the Senate. The control of Senate would give them the power to obstruct the plans of a second-term President Trump or push through the agenda of a first-term President Biden.
Of the 35 Senate seats up for grabs in this election, 23 were Republican-held and 12 were Democrat.
Senators serve six-year terms, and every two years a third of the seats are up for re-election. Senate has been in Republican control for the last six years.
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