Congress will now be split after Democratic candidates won key races in Nevada, Arizona, and Pennsylvania to retain control of the Senate.
The final domino to fall for Democrats came on Saturday, when Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto won her race for reelection against Republican Adam Laxalt, according to projections from The Associated Press.
The win from Cortez Masto gives Democrats 50 seats in the 118th Congress, meaning they will have the majority with Vice President Kamala Harris serving as the tie-breaking vote.
The win also eases the pressure of the upcoming runoff election in Georgia between Sen. Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer shared in a briefing on Saturday night that the win in Nevada, is a “great win for the American people.”
"With the races now called in Arizona and Nevada, Democrats will have a majority in the Senate, and I will once again be majority leader," Schumer said.
However, Democrats may not have total control of Congress as the House is still up for grabs. Republicans are set to take control, having gained six seats out of the already-called elections.
With control of the Senate going to Democrats, President Joe Biden will now be protected from any legislation passed in the House that could be deemed politically risky. It also gives him a much easier path to getting his judicial nominations approved during his last two years.
Biden spoke about the win with reporters on Sunday morning, saying that Schumer now has “a majority again. However, he is still looking to get results from the final states before fully celebrating.
"We're focusing now on Georgia," Biden said. "We feel good about where we are. And I know I'm a cockeyed optimist. I understand that from the beginning, but I'm not surprised by the turnout. I'm incredibly pleased by the turnout. And I think it's a reflection of the quality of our candidates. And they're all running on the same program. There wasn't anybody who wasn't running on what we did. They're all staying, sticking with it. And so, I feel good. I'm looking forward to the next couple years."
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