Republicans Gain Control of US Senate with Key Wins in Ohio and West Virginia

Republicans are set to take control of the US Senate after securing crucial wins in Ohio and West Virginia. Jim Justice, West Virginia’s current governor, is projected to claim the seat previously held by Democrat Joe Manchin, while in Ohio, Republican Bernie Moreno defeated Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown.

Ohio Republican Bernie Moreno defeats three-term Democrat incumbent Sherrod Brown.

These victories give Republicans a 51-49 edge in the Senate, though results in other races are still pending. With control of the Senate, Republicans gain more influence to push their legislative agenda.

In Ohio, Moreno, a Colombian immigrant and former car sales magnate, successfully portrayed Brown as “too liberal for Ohio,” flipping a seat in what became the most expensive Senate race in US history. Brown, conceding defeat, called the result a “disappointment but not a failure,” pledging to continue fighting for workers.

In West Virginia, Justice, who switched from Democrat to Republican at a 2017 Trump rally, is projected to flip the Senate seat. The contest followed Manchin's retirement after years of internal party conflict.

Elsewhere, in Texas, Republican Senator Ted Cruz held off a strong challenge from former NFL player Colin Allred, marking his third term in the Senate. In Florida, Senator Rick Scott was projected to retain his seat, despite competition from former Congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell.

Meanwhile, in Maryland and New Jersey, Democrats retained key seats, with Maryland’s Angela Alsobrooks and New Jersey’s Andy Kim making history as the first Black female senator from Maryland and the first Korean-American senator, respectively.

The Senate contests in Arizona, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and several other states remain undecided, with both parties vying for control of the House of Representatives. Several swing districts across states like California, New York, and Washington will play a critical role in determining which party holds the balance of power in Washington, DC.