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US mid-terms: Republicans win control of the Senate | US mid-terms: Republicans win control of the Senate |
(35 minutes later) | |
The Republican Party has won control of the Senate in the US mid-term elections, increasing its power in the final years of Barack Obama's presidency. | The Republican Party has won control of the Senate in the US mid-term elections, increasing its power in the final years of Barack Obama's presidency. |
The party took Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Montana, North Carolina, South Dakota and West Virginia. | The party took Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Montana, North Carolina, South Dakota and West Virginia. |
Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell will lead the chamber. | Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell will lead the chamber. |
The party is also set to strengthen its majority in the lower House of Representatives. | The party is also set to strengthen its majority in the lower House of Representatives. |
Throughout the campaign, Republicans focused on voter dissatisfaction with Mr Obama, describing the vote as a referendum on his presidency. | |
As the first results came in late on Tuesday, it became clear they had made convincing gains in the roughly one-third of the 100 Senate seats up for election. | |
With the votes still being counted in the western states, the Republican Party appears easily to have won the six seats it needed to win control of the Senate. | |
In addition to seats the party won from the Democrats, the Republicans retained seats in Alabama, Georgia, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee. | |
One of the key early results came in Kentucky, where Republican Senate Minority Leader McConnell fended off Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes | One of the key early results came in Kentucky, where Republican Senate Minority Leader McConnell fended off Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes |
Mr McConnell will now become the Senate majority leader, giving him control over the chamber's legislative agenda and floor proceedings. | |
"I've heard your concerns, I've made them my own, you will be heard in Washington," he said as he declared victory. | "I've heard your concerns, I've made them my own, you will be heard in Washington," he said as he declared victory. |
"When you get right down to it that's what this campaign was really all about. It's wasn't about me or my opponent. It was about a government that people can no longer trust." | "When you get right down to it that's what this campaign was really all about. It's wasn't about me or my opponent. It was about a government that people can no longer trust." |
As well as in the Senate races, the Republicans had a strong showing in the election for the 435 members of the House of Representatives, where they are projected to increase their majority. | As well as in the Senate races, the Republicans had a strong showing in the election for the 435 members of the House of Representatives, where they are projected to increase their majority. |
They also made gains in the thirty-six governorships up for re-election. | |
Republican governors survived tough re-election battles in Florida and Wisconsin. | |
In two results that illustrate the depth of Republican gains, the party's candidates won in Maryland and Massachusetts, two of the most Democratic-friendly states in the nation. | |
This is the first time the Republicans have won control of both chambers in Congress since 2006. | |
They now have the power to complicate, if not block completely, Mr Obama's agenda in the last two years of his term. | |
With control of the Senate, the party can also stymie his ability to name new federal judges, cabinet members and senior government officials. | |
Political gridlock in Congress has already reached historical levels and was a major concern among those voting, with many expressing their frustration with the lack of progress. | |
Analysts say the Republicans' victory could make the situation even worse before the president poll in 2016. | |
Republican leaders have already pledged to move forward on their key policy priorities, pressing Mr Obama to negotiate on their terms | |
"It's time for government to start getting results and implementing solutions to the challenges facing our country, starting with our still-struggling economy," said Republican House Speaker John Boehner. |